


I'll follow you anywhere

by PrincessWriter20



Series: In This Together [1]
Category: Life Is Strange 2 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Smut, Finn is a flirt, Fluff, Humor, I only want happiness for my boys, M/M, POV Alternating, Sean is oblivious and in love, The character development that Finn deserves, and a little bit of drama of course, no heist, soft finn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:27:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 87,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26875159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessWriter20/pseuds/PrincessWriter20
Summary: Finn and Sean meet at the Christmas market, and Finn falls for him immediately. They find each other again in Humboldt County, and their feelings for each other grow every day.But the wolf brothers can't camp out in Humboldt County forever. What does this mean for Sean and Finn's relationship?And where do Sean and Daniel go from there?
Relationships: Cassidy & Finn (Life is Strange 2), Cassidy & Sean Diaz, Daniel Diaz & Finn (Life is Strange 2), Daniel Diaz & Sean Diaz, Finn & Hannah (Life is Strange 2), Sean Diaz & Finn, Sean Diaz & Hannah, Sean Diaz & Jacob, Sean Diaz/Finn
Series: In This Together [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2042482
Comments: 108
Kudos: 161





	1. First Meeting

As they made their way out of Beaver Creek, Finn couldn’t stop himself from thinking about the boy at the market. _Damn._ Cassidy was musing about a new song she was working on, and usually, Finn thought of himself as a good listener. Cass was, after all, his best friend. But today was different. Today her voice was nothing but a whisper in the back of his mind. Instead, images of tan skin, dark hair, and chocolate brown eyes held their position at the forefront of his thoughts.

Not that he was complaining, or anything. _Those damn suburban boys._

Finn always hated small towns like Beaver Creek. Too quiet. Too many small-minded assholes. Too small. He loved being on the road, with his family. His chosen family. As dysfunctional as they were. Of course, he wouldn’t mind settling down somewhere nice, maybe Costa Rica. They could get a nice beach house, enjoy the ocean view. It could be… _nice._ But definitely not Beaver Creek. The gang had been crashing in town for a few days, and he and Cass took a trip down to the Christmas market. Finn hadn’t wanted to at first ( _thank god_ Cass dragged him out). Cassidy had decided to test her luck and play some guitar at the market to earn a bit of cash, and Finn had some shit of his own to deal with. It hadn’t been very eventful, and eventually, he started making his way back to where he’d left Cass. He ignored the blatant stares the townsfolk gave him, most likely because of the tattoos visible on his face. He and Cass didn’t exactly fit in with the whole ‘small-town charm’ vibe going on in this town.

He saw Cass first, near the gate, and two boys were talking to her. He hadn’t been able to catch a good look at either, but the taller one seemed about his age, perhaps a year or two younger. The kid with him seemed about ten years old, and from the looks of it was very excited about something. Neither of them seemed to fit in here either. They both dressed the part, the older one clad in a bright orange jacket which already made him stand out. And Finn got the idea that it didn’t really suit him either. He approached Cassidy, apologizing to her for taking long to get back to her, and then he finally got a good look at the boy in front of him.

 _Fuck._ He was… He was sexy. There’s no two ways about it. He had that suburban boy thing going on, which Finn knew Cass was into. But he was definitely into it too. Now maybe more than ever. The cutie was looking at him, not really saying anything. _Cute and shy, okay._

“Hello pups,” the words came out of him before he gave himself any time to think about it. He’d always been a flirt, but today it was different for him. Less of a habit, more of an instinct. Like something in the way suburban boy looked at him with those beautiful – was that sadness there, who the hell hurt this _sweetheart_ \- eyes dragged the words from a place in his heart he’d forgotten existed.

The little kid started asking questions about their dog, and the conversation went from dogs to smell to Cass and her hair. The cute one still seemed super uncomfortable, so Finn tried to pull him into the joke so they could both tease her. Luckily the boy seemed to have a sense of humor. Another thing that only confirmed what Finn already knew. These boys – probably brothers – were not from around here.

“I know suburban boys are your thing." The words came out teasingly, but Finn knew they were true. And he wouldn’t be surprised if Cass had a thing for this particular suburban boy. She scoffed at that, and unsurprisingly retorted, “Are you kidding? You wanna talk about your scoreboard, hotshot?” Finn didn’t bother trying to deny that, not with one particularly cute guy standing in front of him. Luckily, the boy seemed unphased by this revelation, although he probably didn’t realize the implications that statement held.

Finn could have stayed there forever. He would have gladly dedicated his life to admiring the piece of art in front of him, but life doesn’t work that way. They had money to make and places to go.

“Come on, lets bail.” Finn definitely didn’t want to bail, but he knew he had to. After all, these two boys probably had places of their own to go. “It was nice meeting you Sean, and Daniel.” Cassidy said that last part with a bow directed at the kid.

_So, suburban boy’s name is Sean._

_Sean._

The name suited him. Finn played it over in his mind, imagined what it would sound like if he said it. What it would taste like. But of course, he would probably never see him again, so there was no real use for locking that name away in his head for future reference. Maybe only in his dreams, that would no doubt be filled with Sean's face for a few days at least. Finn was easily obsessed, and he wasn't about to try and deny that either.

“Finn, dude, are you even listening to me?” Cassidy’s voice brought him back to the present, Sean and the market far behind them already. “Yeah, yeah, I’m right here Cass,” which was a lie of course. Finn could still hear Sean’s voice, like a beautiful song written only for him. It called out to him like a lantern in the darkness. He could still see those eyes, those gorgeous eyes that held so much innocence, but also so many things that Finn didn’t quite understand, but _god_ he wanted to. He really did. _Fuck._ That was too damn cheesy, even in his head. But it was true. He felt drawn to the light he saw so clearly in the boy. But he would probably never get that chance, so he tuned back into what Cass was saying, trying his hardest to forget.

He really needed to stop getting obsessed over people he met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: I have decided to age up some characters in this story, Daniel is 10, Sean is 18, Finn is 19 going on 20, Cassidy is 21.  
> If this chapter is well-received I'll definitely write more chapters. I absolutely love this ship and my goal is to basically rewrite a lot of the story following their meet up in Chapter 2 of the game. This first chapter is pretty canon compliant, but after this it will probably play out kind of differently. I just want to see my boys together more. If all goes well, I should be updating fairly regularly. I hope you guys enjoy, but please be nice. This is my first attempt at writing a fanfiction.  
> 


	2. Rules

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2 is here. Thank you so much for your support on this story so far, it means a lot. This time we're with Sean, focusing on his side of the story. There isn't much Finn content in this chapter (I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't hurt me) but I needed to properly set up the story of how they end up together again. This chapter loosely follows the happenings of Episode 2, with a few minor but important adjustments. Enjoy!

Sean was really sick and tired of saying goodbye. This shit is not _fair_. They’d been forced to say goodbye to everyone. Brody. Lyla. Mushroom... 

Dad.

 _Fuck_ , he needed to keep his head straight. For Daniel. He knew that as long as the two of them stayed together, they would be okay. The wolf brothers. No matter what, his only reason to wake up and keep moving every day was to keep his brother safe. His brother’s safety was the most important thing. It guided his every decision, his every move.

They had been staying with their grandparents for a while. Things had been good, but tense, with Claire being secretive about Karen, and Daniel wanting to know everything about his mom. Sean couldn’t blame him, and maybe a part of him even felt the same. To an extent. Just to know why she left, if nothing else. But both Claire and Stephen seemed set on not mentioning her at all. And maybe that was for the best. Daniel can’t take no for an answer though.

One day, Daniel approached Sean with his puppy eyes locked and loaded. Sean mentally prepared himself for what he knew was coming next.

“Sean, do you think any of mom’s stuff would still be in her room?” He sounded so innocent, so curious, but Sean knew where it was going. “I think so, enano, but Claire told us we can’t go in there. We need to follow her rules if we want to stick around here.” Sean felt bad for his brother, but they couldn’t afford to piss off Claire or Stephen. They could kick them out in the blink of an eye if pushed far enough.

“But what if we got in there while they’re at church? They won’t be back for a couple of hours. They’d never find out. Please. I’ll never ask you for anything ever again. I’ll give you the extra Chock-O-Crisp next time. I promise.”

Offering Sean Chock-O-Crips meant Daniel was dead serious. Which meant this was important. He really wanted this. Maybe even needed it. And Sean had dedicated his entire purpose to giving Daniel everything he needed, since the accident. Since Dad…

“Sean?” Daniel's voice brought him back to Earth, back to the question, the room. And his brother looked so desperate. Which is why he found himself saying, “Okay. But we have to be quick, and we have to find the key. We can’t afford to break their door down. That would be really hard to explain. Help me look.”

And so, they searched, for what felt like hours. Daniel was getting antsy, offering to use his power after a few minutes of looking. The option seemed more and more tempting by the second. But for once, luck was on their side. Sean found the key, in a box of junk hidden in the farthest corner of the cupboard in Claire and Stephen’s bedroom. “Daniel! I found it, come on. We need to hurry.”

He could hear the frantic scrambling and footsteps as Daniel dropped whatever he’d been doing and charged up the stairs. “Careful, enano. No use getting yourself hurt in the process.” He knew his brother would scoff at that, but he didn’t care. He’d rather Daniel be angry at him and still be safe, than him getting himself hurt.

He could feel himself shaking, hear himself breathing heavily, as he unlocked and opened the door. Karen’s room. They were in. And now they needed to hurry up and get the fuck out again. Sean wasn’t entirely sure what he was looking for, but he stayed quiet and allowed his brother this opportunity. The chance to get to know his mom. And Daniel, for once, was quiet too. It was unnerving, to say the least. But heart-warming. He was proud of himself for being responsible for the look on Daniel’s face. He’d done something right by his brother.

After a few minutes of just, taking it all in, Daniel started rummaging through the room. It seemed almost untouched, as though no one had been in here for years. Sean decided to occupy himself and have a look around. Not because he wanted to know Karen. She missed her chance. He was only doing this to keep himself busy while Daniel searched. Absolutely.

He had no idea what to expect, but what they found was definitely not on the list.

“Sean! Look at this.” He looked over and saw his brother, clutching desperately onto a piece of paper. “What is that?” Daniel handed it over, his own hand seeming to tremble. Sean was worried, he was afraid. But he was curious. So his eyes scanned the paper.

A letter. A fucking letter. From her. Karen. A recent one. She knew about what happened in Seattle, with the police officer, and Dad. All of it. And she wrote to Claire and Stephen.

_I've heard the news about Seattle. I'm heartbroken._

You and me both.

_You can reach me at this address, it's a PO Box I use sometimes._

An address. A PO Box.

_I know you don't owe me anything. But I beg you, please, help my sons if you can._

Her sons, huh. Funny, she had no issue leaving her sons behind before, Sean found himself thinking bitterly. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. He didn’t know how to feel, what to think. But he didn’t get the chance to mull it over for too long.

“What is the meaning of this?” Shit. Claire and Stephen were back, and they’d been caught red-handed.

He felt a surge of anger, they hid this letter from him. From both of them. Even though they knew Daniel was desperate to know about his mom. Fuck.

But he decided not to use the letter as ammunition, he needed to be calm about this. So he stuffed the letter into his back pocket and took a steadying breath before speaking. “Claire, I am so sorry. We are both so sorry. We just… We had to know. Daniel needed this.” Sean could hear the pleading tone in his voice, but he needed her forgiveness. He wouldn’t forgive himself if Claire sent them away over this. But the emotion on Claire’s face was hard to read. Anger. But something else as well. Guilt? Pity?

“I’m sorry grandma,” Daniel’s voice was soft and shaky. He was on the verge of tears. Claire stayed silent. So, Sean continued. “Listen, we didn’t mean to hurt you. But Daniel deserves to know his mom. At least a part of her. And you kept turning us away. I know we shouldn’t have gone behind your back. But please, Claire, don’t send us away. I’ll do anything.”

The room was silent. Claire was staring at the floor. Daniel was crying, hugging himself against Sean. Sean felt his own arm wrap around Daniel, instinctively. To comfort, to protect, to do anything except fall apart himself.

Stephen cleared his throat then, everyone’s eyes shifting over to him at the sudden noise. “Claire, honey, take it easy on them. They’re just kids who want to know their mom, and they made a mistake. I’m sure they feel bad about it, but we’re family.” Claire sighed at that but remained silent.

Then Stephen spoke to him directly, “Sean, I hope you know how wrong it was. To go against Claire’s rules and to go behind our backs. I understand your desperation, but there is _always_ a better way.”

He was right, Sean knew he was right, and he hoped Daniel knew it too. He was smart enough.

Finally, Claire spoke. “What you boys did was wrong, but… Perhaps I was also at fault here. I am sorry, for shutting you boys out. It’s hard for us to come in here, and look at this room, and I wasn’t sure I could handle it. I’m sorry.”

“So, we can stay?” Daniel sounded relieved, a weight had been lifted off his tiny shoulders. Sean smiled at that. “Yes, you can stay. Just, no more going behind our backs, deal?”

And with that, the conversation was over, and life moved on. But that letter remained ingrained in his mind. An address, Arizona? Karen was in Arizona? He tried not to think about it too much and welcomed the second chance. From that point on, things went well.

Claire started acting less cagey, Sean could tell she was making an effort to answer more of Daniel’s questions, though she was still visibly uncomfortable. It was nice. To see her and Stephen trying for their sake. Daniel had grown very close to them, spending a lot of his time talking to them. It tired them out some days.

Luckily, Daniel had also made a friend which kept him busy most of the time. Chris, the boy who lived next door with his Dad, Charles. Something was off about Charles, but Chris seemed nice enough. And he’d taken an instant liking to Daniel, much like everybody else they ever came across. Although, he was apparently under the impression that he had superpowers, and Daniel didn’t bother to correct him. He enjoyed being able to use his powers for once. It was risky, but Sean chose to trust him. And it kept him from asking more questions about Karen.

They wrangled Sean into a trip to the Christmas Market. Cassidy, and Finn. The train hoppers. They seemed cool. Maybe in another life, they’d be friends. But not in this life. Cassidy was cute, and she seemed nice. And Finn, he was something. Sean thought he was pretty cute, but in a totally objective way of course. The way he dressed, ragged and messy… But it suited him. Like he didn’t give a shit. He probably didn’t. Sean liked that. His tattoos were dope too. He wondered if they had any meaning, probably not. He had a strong drawl in his voice, and he seemed really laid back. Both of them did. Sean found himself admiring them, living life on the road the way they did. And he found himself feeling like he lost out on something amazing when they took their leave. But Daniel didn’t allow him peace long enough for him to feel anything more, immediately rambling on about something he and Chris were doing.

When they got home, Claire and Stephen offered for Chris and Charles to join them for dinner. Charles declined, and Chris and Daniel wore matching pouts on their faces. They really were an unstoppable duo. He was glad that Daniel had a friend and was enjoying himself for once.

Unfortunately, all good things come to an end. Especially when you’re being hunted down by every cop in the country, for shit you didn’t fucking do.

It wasn’t long before the cops came knocking at the Reynolds' door, Sean and Daniel had been spotted by local residents at the Christmas Market. The fucking Christmas Market. Sean had known that decision would bite him in the ass, but he felt guilty about constantly disappointing his brother and had chosen to let his guard down. To be reckless and stupid. And now he would pay the price. They fled the house, Claire and Stephen stepping up and stalling so they could get away unnoticed.

Daniel begged to say goodbye to Chris, but there was no time. They had to run. Sean had to disappoint his brother and uproot their lives yet again. But he had to stay strong, come up with a plan. Where could they go?

He grabbed Daniel’s hand and, together, they ran. He had no idea where they were headed until they arrived at the train tracks.

“Sean?” Daniel looked confused.

“It’s going to be alright, enano. Don’t worry. We just have to wait for the train.”

“What? Why? What are we going to do?”

He could hear the train approaching, he braced himself and Daniel followed his movements.

“We're going to jump.”

And so, they did. And the next chapter in the story of the wolf brothers began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoosh! This chapter was quite a bit longer than the previous chapter, so I hope you guys enjoyed it. I felt that the changes to the canon storyline were necessary for ideas I have in mind for my story. Sorry again about the lack of Finn, I promise you'll be seeing loads of him from the next chapter onwards.


	3. Familiar faces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter jumps back and forth between Finn and Sean's POV, the jump shown by a dotted line. I hope it's not confusing! Enjoy!

They’d been in Humboldt County for a few weeks now. The gang had spent their time in Beaver Creek doing some odd jobs for extra cash, and Finn had been eager to hit the road. So, they’d packed their shit one morning and made their way to the tracks.

Freedom.

Finn loved that part the most. The rush. Waiting for the train. Hearing it come, timing everything. And the jump. A risky move, but they’d always manage well enough. They couldn’t be tied down by rules and shit. They made their own rules, wrote their own future. _That’s fucking freedom._

Of course, the job in Humboldt hadn’t been the most glamorous. An illegal weed farm, run by some dick named Merrill. He’d been nice enough to give them a campsite where they could stay, but other than that he’d been less than accommodating. He didn’t tolerate slacking of any sort, and no switching roles either. He was in charge, and he made sure to remind everyone as often as possible. _As if we could forget._ But Finn found himself in a pretty dope position he thought. Merrill definitely didn’t like him; he didn’t like anyone. But he trusted Finn, which was cool.

Finn had always been a smooth talker, he knew what to say to people, and he worked hard. He didn’t try and slack off. Plus, he’d brought in many recruits for Merrill over the few weeks he’d been there.

He and Cass, along with Penny and Hannah had been there the longest. But he’d brought in a guy named Jacob after about a week, and a couple Ingrid and Anders soon after. Merrill recognized that and was happy to have more people to get the job done. Everyone pulled their weight, so there were no complaints other than having to pay more people. Merrill didn’t like paying them, but a deal is a deal. The job paid decently enough, but nothing to write home about.

_Not that he had anyone to write home to._

Finn shook the thought away, _there_ _ain’t no point getting sad about shit I can’t control,_ he thought to himself _._ The group mixed well enough, a big fucked-up dysfunctional family, but a family. And Finn was happy to treat them as such, they were his family and he didn’t need anybody else.

“I’m telling y’all, Big Joe is a clone.” _Fuck, Penny is a riot._ Finn could listen to his conspiracy bullshit all day. Big Joe was a nasty piece of work, he worked with Merrill and he really needed to pop about a dozen chill pills. Finn never met someone so hot-headed, the dude was unbearable. But Finn knew how to work his charm to get the group out of deep shit most of the time.

The gang was setting up a fire to sit around, they did that a lot. Just hung out and got high. “Guys, we need more firewood!” Hannah yelled to nobody in particular. Finn needed to stretch his legs anyway, “I’m on it, no worries.” “I’ll come with you, need to make sure you don’t take your sweet time,” Cass added. “Don’tcha trust me?” Finn gasped, taking mock offense. Cassidy just laughed, and they headed out to get what they needed. Finn appreciated Cassidy, the two had always been really close and he never felt the need to fill the silence with her. They were good just walking together. But that night they were both in for a surprise.

………………………………………………………………………………………

“Daniel, we need to start settling down now. We can’t wander through the woods all night.”

Sean was getting really frustrated. Daniel didn’t like these woods, he felt like they were being watched. Like they weren’t alone. It made it really difficult for him to find a place where Daniel was comfortable enough to set up camp. They had been walking for about an hour, and it was getting dark. He needed to figure something out. It had been pretty quiet, other than the occasional whining from Daniel. But he could tell Daniel was getting tired, and so was he.

Eventually, they found themselves near some sort of path. He didn’t want to risk following the path but decided to keep it in his line of sight. They continued walking, and then they heard something. _People. Maybe they’re camping?_ Sean found himself becoming more and more paranoid as time went on. People were dangerous, more often than not. Like that racist asshole at the gas station. But these people seemed harmless. They were just talking, they sounded like they could be around his age, probably a bit older than him. But he couldn’t risk it, so they moved deeper into the trees.

And then Sean saw them.

Purple hair, and dreads.

Cassidy and Finn.

_Cassidy and fucking Finn._

They didn’t notice him at first, they seemed preoccupied. Finn was grabbing wood, and Cassidy was talking to him. Sean remembered them from the market a few weeks back. They were, after all, the ones who inspired him to hop on that train back in Beaver Creek. Daniel seemed to recognize them too, “Sean! It’s Cassidy! Should we go say hi?” He wasn’t sure how to answer that, he didn’t know. But unfortunately (or maybe, _fortunately_ ) Daniel had gotten too loud in his excitement at seeing a familiar face. The two seemed to hear him, both of them looking at each other and then around at their surroundings.

Finn saw him first, his tattooed chin nearly dropping to the ground along with the wood (which he actually dropped), “Holy fucking shit!” Sean decided to take a leap of faith, grabbing Daniel’s hand and approaching the pair tentatively. Daniel was practically bouncing with joy. Cassidy noticed them then, “Well, I’ll be damned. Sean?” She seemed happy to see him, they both did. Sean was happy too.

“How the hell did the two of you end up here?” Cassidy was clearly confused, and she had a lot of questions. Finn was quiet, struggling to form words apparently. He looked like he had something to say, but Cass kept firing away questions. But he looked… _Concerned?_ “We took the train,” was all Sean said. He could tell they understood the implication. Finn’s face flashed with a smirk, but it was gone as fast as it appeared. Cassidy smiled, it stayed on her face.

“Are you guys, uhm, camping?” Sean asked. Cassidy let out a laugh, and Finn responded, “Something like that, sweetie,” his voice dripping with something Sean couldn’t identify. “We’re working. On a plantation nearby,” Cass added. Daniel was silent, still overwhelmed with excitement apparently. “Oh, you guys farm? What kind of farm?” The pair exchanged a look like they were sharing a joke Sean was yet to be let in on. They wore matching smirks on their face as Finn answered, “The illegal kind.” Daniel didn’t get it, but Sean did. Weed. A weed farm. “Cool,” he responded simply, he didn’t know what else to say. But his mind was racing.

_They work on a weed farm. Illegally. That’s kinda dangerous. But so cool. They probably have a lot of fun out here. So, this is the job Cass mentioned back in Beaver Creek. Wow._

“Wanna join us?” The words were simple enough, but they struck something deep inside of him. A flame, one he hadn’t felt in a long time. Daniel seemed to like that idea, immediately running up to Cassidy and waiting for her to lead them. Finn stood and waited for Sean to accept the invitation, a now seemingly permanent smirk etched into his face. Sean smiled and nodded. And the four of them headed to their camp. 

The walk back to the camp was cool. Daniel had definitely taken a liking to Cassidy, and she was sweet enough to entertain him and his never-ending stream of consciousness. He liked to comment on everything, share every single thought that entered his mind. She didn’t seem bothered by it, even seeming to enjoy it. Which gave Sean a chance to observe her and Finn. Mostly Finn, if he was being honest. _Not for any particular reason other than the fact that he’d already observed her at the market._

Finn took up the task of leading them back to the camp, mostly staying silent apart from whistling a tune now and then, and glancing backward to make sure everyone was still okay. Sean could tell he was a natural leader, with an instinct to guide and even protect. And he seemed to notice that Sean needed some quiet to gather his thoughts. He appreciated that. Finn walked with a sense of confidence like he had nothing to be ashamed of. It was admirable, really. He was the walking embodiment of confidence, and there was no denying that he was attractive. He had a line tattooed down from his lower lip to the tip of his chin, and three small triangles under his left eye. Plus, he had a septum piercing. He had pierced ears, and his dreads hung down, framing his face messily.

Everything about him screamed danger, but Sean didn’t feel unsafe. Quite the opposite really. He felt safer than he’d felt since leaving Beaver Creek. Maybe even before. And that was a feeling Sean could definitely get used to. Then, he realized he’d been caught staring. He hadn’t been subtle about it, but he hoped Finn wouldn’t notice. Of course, he did, he seemed observant. And he noticed Sean staring. Sean felt his cheeks warm, and Finn flashed his smirk again, throwing him a subtle wink before turning to the front again. _Fuck, stop blushing._ He shook his head and focused on Daniel, who was still enraptured by everything that was Cassidy.

Finn announced their arrival when they reached the camp. They were quite a large group, all wearing matching stares of confusion. “Who are they?” A girl with tan skin and brown hair asked, her tone quite harsh. Sean felt small, Daniel seemed to sense it too and hung behind his brother. “Chill, Hannah, they’re cool, they’re gonna be staying here for tonight,” Finn spoke with that same lazy tone, but no one asked further questions. _Definitely a natural leader._

“You guys hungry?” Cassidy asked, heading towards a sort of makeshift dining room. “YES!” Daniel shouted with zero hesitation, rushing after her. Sean shook his head and followed them. The rest of the group continued on with their conversation like nothing had happened, except for Hannah who seemed to be glaring at Finn, who was entirely unbothered.

Cassidy told him about the group, their names, and bits of information about them. Sean hoped he would be able to remember all the names in the morning. The two of them spoke while Daniel ate, and Finn stayed with the rest of the group by the fire. He would occasionally glance in their direction, but not long enough for anyone to notice. _Nobody but Sean._ But it probably meant nothing, he told himself. He was sure Finn was simply observing, or maybe staring at Cassidy, or Daniel, or something.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

A second chance. Finn had been granted a second chance by whatever higher power was out there. Sean was at the camp. His camp. Sean. 

He tried not to dwell too much on that fact though. Sean and Daniel’s presence, while very welcome, was concerning. What were they doing in the middle of the woods at this time of the night? Were they not staying in Beaver Creek? Finn had many questions, but he sensed that it might not be something they were ready to talk about. Not yet, at least. But soon.

Daniel was a tiny ball of energy, talking a mile a minute. Sean was the total opposite though, quiet and reserved, though his mind probably raced faster than his little brother’s mouth. Finn thought he was really cute, especially when he was so studying him so intently earlier. The way his face flushed when he realized that he’d been caught, the way his mouth slowly formed a smile when he realized they had welcomed him. _Fuck. He was everything._ Finn was no poet, but he was certain that Sean’s face was the one that poets wrote sonnets about. The one people write love songs about. If he had any artistic capabilities, he’d be doing that right now.

But there was that nagging thought that ate away at Finn for most of the night. What the hell were Sean and Daniel doing in Humboldt County? They didn’t seem prepared for a camping trip. And Sean definitely didn’t seem prepared to be looking after his brother alone in the woods for who knows how long, unless there was no other option. That look Sean had in his eyes back at the market, and the way he so cautiously approached them earlier, made him think there was something seriously wrong with this situation. He needed to know what was going on. Only if they were prepared to tell him, of course. Before the night was over, hopefully. Before they left again.

He had a feeling that it wouldn’t be a very fun story.

Some time passed, and the group began to disperse. Most of the gang retreated to their own tents until only Finn, Cassidy, Sean and Daniel were up. Daniel looked really tired, so Cassidy offered the two of them her tent. He and Cass had no problem sharing for the night. Sean reluctantly agreed, and the two disappeared into their tent.

Cass turned to Finn immediately, with an obvious expression on her face. They were both concerned. Something was up. “What do you think’s going on with ‘em?” Cass asked quietly. Finn shrugged; he didn’t know what to say. He settled for, “I think we might need to help them out.” Cass nodded, before letting out a sigh and looking back at her tent. “Do you think they’re in trouble?” _Probably. But what kind of trouble?_ He didn’t know how to respond. But he didn’t need to. They heard shuffling and then a throat being cleared. They both turned to find the source of the sound.

Sean had emerged again, “Thank you guys, for letting us stay here tonight.” Both of them smiled at him, so he continued, “I put Daniel to bed.” Finn and Cass stayed quiet. He seemed extremely nervous, so Finn let him take his time. He opened his mouth to say something, before closing it along with his eyes. He dropped down into the seat opposite them. Finn leaned forward in his seat, “S’alright sweetie, take your time.” Cassidy nodded sincerely in agreement, a small smile on her face. Sean smiled in relief, before looking at his feet. “I think “- he sighed, still for a moment - then he looked up at the two of them. He had a determined look in his eyes, fuelled by fire so deep within him, Finn was taken aback.

“I need to tell you guys something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter made up for the lack of Finn in chapter 2 :) I tried to include more of Sean's thoughts towards Finn, as well as Finn's obvious attraction towards Sean. Thank you for reading, stay tuned for the next chapter. Also, feel free to comment down below if you have any critiques or requests or suggestions, or even just to say hi! If you want these chapters to be longer/shorter, or anything like that :)


	4. Conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're switching back and forth with POV's again today! Most chapers will be like this, unless a lot of people don't like it (in which case, comment down below whether you do or not), the dotted line shows the switch.  
> ALSO, for those of you who have been reading the story since it came out, I added a note to Chapter 1 to say that I've aged up some characters, so Sean is 18, Daniel is 10, Finn is 19 going on 20, and Cassidy is 21.  
> Enjoy this chapter!

And so, Sean told them everything, leaving out everything about Daniel’s power of course. Starting with what happened in Seattle. How that prick next door gave Daniel a hard time. The fight. How that cop showed up and assumed the worst. About his dad. The explosion. And him grabbing Daniel and running. He spoke quickly, worried that if he paused even for a second, he might lose his nerve.

The drifters stayed quiet, Cass sat and listened with an unreadable expression on her face. Finn tried to hide most of his reactions, but Sean couldn’t miss the way his fists clenched on the table or the way his jaw tightened.

He told them about the gas station. How that racist asshole tied and locked him up, how Daniel helped him escape, and how Brody helped them out and rented a motel room for them. Cassidy couldn’t contain the gasp that left her mouth at that part of the story. Finn remained silent, but his body was tense, and his eyes said enough for Sean to know what he was thinking.

Sean tried not to tear up when he spoke about Mushroom, and how upset Daniel had been that day. He tried not to tear up when he spoke about Daniel meeting their grandparents for the first time. How he wished it could have been under better circumstances. They both nodded in understanding, for which he was grateful. He could hear the tremble in his own voice as he spoke about his mom, and the letter they found, and Claire nearly kicking them out.

And he told them about the day the cops showed up, how they had to up and leave. Without a chance for any proper goodbyes. By now, the tears were streaming down his face. He wished them away, he didn’t want to seem weak. He didn’t want any pity. He just needed to get these things out of his system, and he needed them to know. He wanted them to understand. Because he felt so completely and utterly alone. Daniel was with him, but he couldn’t rely on him like he needed to. Daniel was too young to bear the weight of all this shit. They both were.

“And that’s how we ended up here. So, yeah…”

There was silence around the table. Both drifters were still processing what he’d told them. He tried to soothe himself, his hands folded together on the table. He bowed his head down, waiting for their response. And then he felt it, a soft touch. Hesitant. He peeked up at his hand, it was enclosed in another. A pale, tattooed hand, adorned with rings. _Finn’s hand._

“Sean, I am so sorry that happened to you. S’not fair, you ain’t been dealt the best cards. But do not feel like you have anything to be ashamed of. You have done everything you can to protect Daniel, and you’ve done a fucking amazing job. And thank you, for trusting us enough to tell us.” Those words would replay themselves, over and over, in his head forever. They were simple but they meant the world to him. He took a deep breath and lifted his head. His eyes met Finn’s blue ones, filled with so much sincerity that he needed to take another breath to steady himself. Finn's face showed all his emotions, sorrow, sadness, sympathy. But not pity, not disgust, nothing he feared would be there. Sean's heart clenched with something unfamiliar; he didn’t know what. But he nodded gratefully, and Finn smiled. Not like the smirk he wore on his face earlier, a small, genuine one. One that made Sean feel warm inside.

“Finn’s right, y’know? You shouldn’t have to feel guilty for anything, everything that you did was to protect your little brother. And you have.” Cassidy spoke softly, but with determination. Sean knew she meant every word, and he smiled at her. She smiled back.

The three of them sat in silence for a while, Finn still resting his hand on Sean’s slightly trembling ones. Whether he realized what he was doing or not, Sean appreciated it.

“So… What’chu gonna do next? Where are you planning to go?” Finn’s question broke the silence. Sean answered him, “I was thinking, maybe we could go to Puerto Lobos, that’s where my dad was born.” Cassidy nodded, but then she asked another very good question, “That’s a great idea and all, but how are y’all planning on getting there? And do you have enough money?” Sean knew that he was nowhere close to having enough money, but he needed to figure that out soon.

“I don’t know. I guess I’m going to have to find a job or rob a bank. Whichever is easier.” Finn chuckled at that, Cass laughed too. Then, after a few seconds, Finn said “Maybe I can help.”

………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn felt bad for Sean and Daniel. They didn’t deserve the shit they’d been put through. He wished he could make it all go away for them, but he knew that was impossible. But there was something he could try, something that could help them out. “I could talk to the boss tomorrow, try and get’chu a job here too. It ain’t exactly a dream job, but you could work here for while, earn some cash, and then be on your way. What d’ya think?”

He could feel Cassidy’s eyes on him, but he kept his gaze focused on Sean. The boy was clearly surprised by the offer, hell even Finn was surprised. But he was thinking about it. A few seconds passed, Finn felt nervous, maybe he’d been a bit pushy? But then Sean’s voice broke the silence again, “Do you think that would be possible?”

“The boss trusts me, and I’ve already recruited a few people for him. I’m sure it will work out,” Finn hoped that would reassure him, and it did. His shoulders slumped in relief, his eyes filled with tears, and a smile broke out across his face. He grabbed Finn’s hand in both of his and said “Thank you, Finn. Thank you, so much. You have no idea what this means to me.” Cassidy was still staring at Finn, but she didn’t say anything to him. She only said, “Don’t worry, if anyone can get you this job it’s Finn.”

But Finn would be lying if he said he’d really heard anything Cassidy said after Sean grabbed his hand. He’d be lying if he said he could see anything or hear anything beyond Sean. He’d be lying if he said that the way Sean’s cheeks reddened as he realized what he’d done and quickly pulled back his hands wasn’t etched into his memory forever. _And he would definitely be lying if he said his own heart hadn’t nearly skyrocketed out of his chest at that._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

After Finn said he would talk to his boss, he and Cassidy took their leave and headed to bed. Sean followed suit and headed to Cassidy’s tent, to join his little brother again. He expected Daniel to be asleep, but he wasn’t. He was wide awake, sitting upright, and looking at Sean with hopeful eyes. “Are we staying here?” He’d clearly been listening in, little eavesdropper, but Sean couldn’t find it in his heart to be annoyed. Not tonight.

“I think so, enano. At least just, for now,” he said softly. He didn’t want to get their hopes up too much, and this was just temporary. The plan hadn’t changed, they were still going to Puerto Lobos. This was just a detour. A very welcome one.

“Do you think I’ll be working too?” Truthfully, he wasn’t sure. They hadn’t discussed many details, but he hoped that whatever happened, his brother wouldn’t be put through too much manual labour. He was, after all, still a kid. “I’m not sure, but try not to think about it too much. Get some sleep, we can talk in the morning.” Daniel yawned at that, and said quietly, “Okay. Goodnight, Sean.”

“Goodnight, enano.”

Sean slept peacefully that night, his little brother sound asleep next to him. They were safe here. And when morning came, they’d deal with whatever they needed to. As long as they were together, Sean knew he’d be able to face anything.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn had been up all night, preparing himself for this conversation. Cassidy had shit to say, but she kept it to herself. He figured she’d come to him about it eventually. His main concern was making sure that Merrill gave Sean a chance. This morning, he and Cass helped Sean and Daniel settle in properly. Then the group left the two brothers at the camp, so they could head to work and Finn could talk to Merrill. Big Joe wouldn’t let anyone on the truck if Merrill hadn’t hired them already. Luckily, Sean and Daniel seemed to understand. They said they’d keep themselves busy, so the drifters headed to work.

When they got there, Merrill assigned them their duties for the day and headed to his office. Finn quickly followed him. “Can I help you, Finn?” Merrill had his back towards him, but he knew he was there. Finn took a deep breath; he was really fucking nervous. ““Merrill, listen, I have something to ask you.”

Then, Merrill turned to face him, his expression stern as usual, and he spoke in that same disdainful tone, “What is it?” _What a dick._ “I have a friend who desperately needs a job, his name’s Sean. He’s a really hard worker, and he’s real trustworthy,” Finn felt the urge to talk Sean up. He didn’t exactly know much about Sean, but the story he told them last night confirmed that everything Finn said to Merrill was true. He just chose to leave out a few details, such as why Sean and Daniel were out here. Finn and Sean had agreed that it was better if less people knew about Seattle, so Merrill didn't need to know that. The man sighed, but Finn continued talking, “Look, he has a little brother. They need money. Please, Merrill. I’ve never brought you any losers before. He’ll work hard, I know he will.”

“What about his brother?”

Finn had contemplated that too, so he responded quickly, “His brother can work too, smaller and less demanding tasks. You don’t even have to pay him as much as his older brother if that’s too much to ask. As long as they get some money, I’m sure they’d be appreciative.” Merrill was quiet, but Finn felt hopeful. He had a good reputation with Merrill already, for bringing in hard workers, so he was confident in his chances.

“If they fuck this up, I’m coming down on you, got it?” Finn almost broke out in a happy dance; he couldn’t wait to tell Sean. “Absolutely, no worries Merrill. You can count on them, and me.”

He rushed to the door to re-join the group, but Merrill’s voice made him halt his movements, “Don’t make me regret this, Finn.”

“I won’t, sir.” And then he was gone.

He couldn’t wait to see Sean’s face.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Holy shit, enano! You’re getting so good at this.” The Diaz brothers had taken the time alone to scope out the area and find a secluded space for Daniel to do his training. They needed to be careful, but Daniel needed to maintain control over his powers. He was doing really well, so far. And he knew it, the look on his face showing his self-confidence.

“Thanks!” His response was short, and he quickly brought the logs back down to where they were and set them down gently. “Hey, Sean, can I ask you something?” His voice was timid, and Sean felt the concern bubbling in his chest, but he swallowed it down. “Of course, what’s up?”

They sat down on the ground, face to face.

“Where are we going? After we leave this place, I mean,” Daniel asked.

“Same place we’ve been heading to, Puerto Lobos.”

“Oh.”

A tense silence surrounded the brothers.

Then, Daniel spoke again, “What are we going to do, when we get there?”

Sean tried to swallow down his annoyance, he didn’t have the answers and the questions only stressed him out.

“I don’t know, Daniel. We can figure that out when we get there. When we’re safe.”

“What if we don’t get there?”

“We will. We have to.”

The wolf brothers were quiet after that. But both their minds raced with unanswered questions.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn filled the rest of the drifters in on what was going on during the ride back to camp. He didn’t tell them the details of Sean’s story, that wasn’t his story to tell, only that they needed a job. Most of the group was okay with it, except Hannah who seemed really angry for some reason. He hoped she wouldn’t try and give the brothers a hard time. He wouldn’t let her.

When they arrived back at the camp, he rushed off to find Sean but was pulled back by strong arms.

“What the fuck?”

He tried to break out of the person’s grasp, but then he heard Cassidy laugh.

“Cass? When did ya get so strong? Have you been eating your Wheaties?” She released his arm from her grasp.

“It’s not my fault I’m stronger than you,” she teased. Then she spoke again, “Y’know, you’re not subtle. Like, at all.” Finn was confused. _What’s she on about?_

She recognized his confusion, so she continued, “Sean, you knucklehead. You like him, don’t you?” Finn didn’t know how to answer that. He didn’t want to lie and say no, but he also didn’t want to rush things and ruin them. Sean needed help, and Finn trying to pursue anything romantic was not what he needed. What he needed was a friend, and Finn was more than happy to be his friend.

“Listen,” her voice interrupted his thoughts, “If you like him, that’s cool, he’s hot. But, don’t go for too much too quickly.”

“Don’t you like him?” Finn asked.

“Nah, he’s not my type, he’s hot, but not for me. For you, though, absolutely,” she teased with a wink. He felt relief flood through him, Cass wasn’t interested. _Fuckin' A._ “Hey, Cass, don’t say anything? We don' even know he likes guys, and if he does... I want shit to happen naturally. I don’t wanna force it, y’know?”

“Yeah, I know, no worries. Let’s head back.”

As they walked, they were met by the brothers. They both looked deep in thought, but their eyes lit up when they saw Finn and Cassidy. “Did you talk to your boss?” Daniel asked, his excitement shining in his voice. “Yessir, I did indeed. Y’all are hired, congratulations,” Finn announced proudly with a bow.

The response was beautiful, and Finn soaked it in. Daniel was positively beaming, looking up at his brother and tugging on his hand insistently. And Sean, _just wow,_ his smile said so much, things that he couldn’t find words for. His eyes sparkled with tears. And Sean didn’t shy away from his gaze. Instead, he met it with a fierceness Finn hadn’t seen from him yet. And he liked it. _He liked it a lot._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think of this chapter! Your comments are the only feedback I really have when it comes to what you guys like and don't like. This is my first fanfiction, so it's also a learning experience for me and I want you guys to enjoy it too!


	5. Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got a double update for you guys.  
> I probably won't update this story for a few days, I've got a huge exam at the end of this week and probably won't have time for writing. But after that, I'll be back with more chapters!  
> Enjoy!

A couple of days had passed, and Sean felt like he and Daniel were finally settled. The first day was the hardest. Merrill had called him into the office to talk to him and said in no uncertain terms that they were only there because Finn put in a good word for them. _In other words, don’t fuck up._ He appreciated the effort that Finn had put in to get them this job.

Aside from Merrill being less than friendly, the last few days had gone smoothly. Everyone at the camp took a liking to Daniel, of course. Daniel seemed to have a little crush on Cassidy. However, he took a very special liking to Finn. Finn was honestly great with Daniel, which, if Sean was being completely honest, was pretty surprising. Finn didn’t exactly seem like the kind of guy to like kids. But don’t judge a book by its cover, right? Hell, sometimes he even acted like a kid himself. Which was charming in its own sense.

Sean spent most of his time with Cassidy and Finn. He hadn’t really spent too much time with the rest of the group, but most of them (except maybe Hannah, at times) were nice enough. Hannah and Cass liked to argue, a lot. Ingrid and Anders kind of just, stayed out of everyone’s shit. Jacob was really quiet and kept to himself most of the time, which Sean definitely related to. If it weren’t for Finn, he’d probably be holed up in his tent or under a tree, drawing all day. He hadn’t been able to draw much though, which sucked. But Finn and Cassidy made up for that, there was never a dull moment with either of them.

Today, however, Finn was nowhere to be found. Daniel was talking Cassidy’s ear off by the kitchen. So, Sean decided to put himself out there and talk to some other people from the camp. He found most of them pretty intimidating. Not because they were scary, simply because they were all so cool, so confident in themselves. He could only dream of being like them. Even Daniel did that better than him.

He spotted Jacob sitting under a tree a ways away from the rest of the group and headed over to talk to him. “Hey, Jacob,” he said, trying to sound way less nervous than he was. He didn’t know why he was nervous; Jacob was probably the least intimidating person at the camp. But there was no sound reasoning when it came to being socially awkward.

Jacob looked up from the ground, seemingly from being deep in thought. “Oh, hey Sean.” They hadn’t spoken much, simply making small-talk here and there. “You okay? Sorry if I interrupted you, or something,” Sean apologized, he didn’t really know how to socialize. It was at times like this that he really missed Lyla, more than usual.

Jacob smiled gently, he didn’t seem bothered by the disruption, “It’s cool, I get in my head over nothing sometimes. No worries. Do you wanna join me?” He patted the ground next to him as he spoke. Sean nodded and moved to sit next to him. The pair sat in silence for a while, both content with simply listening to their surroundings together.

Jacob broke the silence first.

“How have you been adjusting to life here at the camp?”

“It’s been, hard. But everyone is really cool, and you’ve all been really welcoming,” Sean said.

Jacob smiled and nodded at that, “Yeah, the group is pretty cool. When I got here, everyone was really supportive of me. Which was a totally new experience for me.” Sean understood that completely. It was the same for him.

The two were quiet for a while, Sean had taken out his notepad and was doodling, while Jacob fiddled with what appeared to be a letter. Without taking his eyes off the page in front of him, he asked “Are you okay? You seem kind of preoccupied.” Jacob didn’t answer him, so Sean took that as a hint to shut up. He continued doodling, until Jacob finally said, “I don’t know how to end this letter.” Sean put his notepad down and looked at Jacob, asking “What is it for?” Jacob tensed, but he answered, “My sister. She, uh, she’s having a birthday soon.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister, how old is she?”

“She’s gonna be nine years old now.”

Sean nodded. He imagined that Daniel would have liked having another kid around to play with. Like Chris. He still hadn’t entirely forgiven Sean for not letting him say goodbye when they left Beaver Creek. He felt a bit guilty, but his brother’s safety was more important than anything, so he held his ground.

“Well, what does she like?”

Jacob dove into a story about his sister and her pet chicken, and Sean could sense how much Jacob missed her. His eyes glistened as he remembered her sweetly, probably longing to see her, hug her, anything. Sean understood that feeling, he knew would have gone crazy if he and Daniel were separated. That kid had been the only thing keeping him going. Another reason for him to try and make some new friends, he couldn’t be entirely dependent on his baby brother all the time.

“You should tell her that you’re thinking of her, and maybe draw that chicken at the bottom?”

“Sounds good, just, I can’t draw for shit.”

“I can help if you want.”

And so, he did. Once the letter was complete, Jacob smiled at Sean. He seemed a lot happier, less distracted. “Thank you, Sean. I appreciate that.”

The two continued talking for the rest of the afternoon. Sean continued drawing, moving from doodles to the sketching the trees around them. He wasn’t ready to show Jacob his art just yet, which he seemed to be okay with. By the time the sun started setting, Sean felt like he could call Jacob a friend. And he hoped that Jacob would agree.

As it got darker, the two agreed that it was time to head back to the others. When they did, Sean noticed Finn was back. He was slouched lazily on one of the chairs by the ‘dining room’, his chest to the back of the chair, and his back to them. Hannah sat opposite him, appearing to be deep in conversation with him. Her eyes caught sight of them over Finn’s shoulders, and then Finn turned around. A smile quickly spread across his face. Sean felt his hands get clammy all of a sudden, but he didn’t know why. He wiped them down on his jeans, hoping he didn’t look weird.

“Finn’s pretty cool, right?” Sean was startled by Jacob’s voice. “What? Oh, yeah. Totally cool.” Jacob laughed at that; Sean didn’t understand the joke. He didn’t get a chance to ask though, because suddenly Finn was there, his tattooed arm slouched across Sean’s shoulders. “Hey sweetie, where’ve you been? I've been looking all over for you,” he said nonchalantly. But the words made Sean smile all the same. Jacob excused himself then, heading towards his tent, and Finn steered Sean towards the campfire.

Hannah looked put out, still at the table she’d been talking to Finn at before, though her face showed she was not too happy with the interruption. 

“Jacob and I were hanging out, I thought I’d try and make more of an effort to get to know everyone,” Sean admitted softly. “Well, well, pups. Look at you, makin’ friends and shit,” Finn drawled, his arm still wrapped comfortably around the smaller boy. His tone was teasing but in an endearing way. It made Sean feel good. He liked talking to Finn.

“Yeah, everyone here is just so cool,” Sean said. “You guys don’t give any shits, it’s fucking awesome.” Finn smirked at that, “You’re cool too Sean, don’t sell yourself short. And _hot_. I bet you had them girls falling at your feet back in Seattle.” The younger boy tensed then, a) Finn called him _hot_ , and b) he didn’t want to admit that he’d been kind of a loner, only really hanging out with Lyla. He didn’t want Finn to think he was a loser. He settled for a simple, “Not really.” Finn didn’t believe him, but he wasn’t about to come out and say that he’d never kissed or dated anyone.

_Finn thought he was hot._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

He hadn’t meant to say it. He meant to take things slow. He didn’t want to push Sean or scare him off. But he’d never been good at controlling himself and his thoughts. This became especially apparent around Sean, who so innocently wrecked every shrivel of coherence in Finn’s brain. So, when he called Sean hot, he wasn’t surprised by the way he tensed up. He’d come on too strong probably. _Fuck._

He meant it though, 100%.

And he was really proud of Sean, for making an effort and talking to Jacob. It was good to see him loosen up and be more comfortable around camp. It was good to see him smile. He really did want the world for Sean. Sean deserved the world… But the world didn’t deserve him.

He could’ve gotten used to the feeling of Sean leaning against him, underneath his arm. Just the two of them, by the fire, smoking weed and hanging out. No shits given. But he needed to give Sean space to breathe, to come into his own. Also, to give him time to hang out with Daniel, who tried to act tough but needed his big brother. So, he removed his arm slowly, patted him on the shoulder, and gave him a wink before heading to his tent.

Before he reached it though, Hannah approached him. “Hey, Finn, you coming to my tent tonight?” Her tone was nonchalant. She was giving him the choice, as always. They occasionally slept together, nothing special. They were just fuck buddies, so it wasn’t really a big deal. And most nights, he’d say yes without giving it too much thought.

But things change.

Finn couldn’t stop his eyes from drifting over to where Sean sat, still soaking up heat from the campfire. Jacob and Daniel had joined him, the three of them talking and laughing together. The sight warmed his heart, and he found himself saying “Not tonight Hans,” his eyes never leaving Sean.

He barely noticed Hannah walking away.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sean tried not to notice Hannah and Finn talking near the tents. He tried not to think about the way Finn looked at him, and the way Hannah walked away. And he definitely didn’t watch Finn disappear into his tent, or feel a tug of disappointment at the sight.

But he couldn’t help himself.

Luckily, Jacob was there to keep his brother too busy to notice his distraction.

Cass joined them after a while too. “What’s up boys? How are y’all doing on this fine evening?” she asked the trio. Daniel was all too eager to respond, “I’m doing great!” She smiled at that; Daniel really was adorable sometimes. It was easy to forget how much of a child he was, half the time. They’d both been forced to grow up quite a lot after what happened back in Seattle. And Daniel liked to act like a teenager, he was moody enough to be one. But after all that had happened, it was nice to see his little brother simply being a kid.

It didn’t last very long.

“Finn is so cool!” Daniel was telling Cassidy all about his day, Sean only half listening as he focused his attention on Jacob.

“He taught me to throw knives today, it was fucking awesome!”

_Hold up._

“Daniel! No swearing! And don’t you think you’re a little too young to be playing with knives?” Sean had been trying to keep Daniel from swearing, but that was a little hard when he had no good influence around. No one here, including him, knew how to not swear.

What bothered him more, was the knife throwing. It was way too dangerous, and he knew he’d need to talk to Finn about that. But Daniel, of course, did not appreciate being scolded. He scoffed and muttered, “I’m not a baby,” and rolled his eyes at Sean. Then he got up and went back to their tent. Probably to sulk for a while.

After talking to Jacob and Cassidy for a while, Sean moved back to their tent too.

He found Daniel sitting with his arms crossed, looking everywhere except at his big brother. Sean felt the familiar feeling of frustration burn in his chest, but he tried to stay calm, remembering how his dad always hated when they argued.

He always encouraged Sean to be the bigger person and to go easy on his baby brother. But Daniel didn’t always make it easy.

They didn’t say anything to each other, they hadn’t really talked much alone since the first day they were here. Sean didn’t quite know what was going on with Daniel, but he didn’t want to push him or aggravate him. So, he stayed quiet. But he missed being able to spend time with his brother, without it turning into a stupid argument over nothing. They changed silently and got into their sleeping bags, neither of them making a move to talk.

There was silence between the wolf brothers for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is available now.


	6. Brothers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of the double update is here!  
> Hope you all enjoy!  
> None of Sean's POV this time, I was really into Finn's POV.

Finn loved having the Diaz brothers around. It had been just over two weeks since Daniel and Sean arrived at their camp. As time passed, he started to see a lot of himself in Daniel, and he knew the little guy looked up to him. _He could have picked a better role model, like his big bro._ Not to mention, seeing them bicker reminded him of his older brothers. They’d fought the same way, he missed it.

He really admired the way Sean stepped up and assumed the father figure role in Daniel’s life. He imagined it couldn’t be easy, trying to find the balance between that and being a brother to him. Finn had honestly felt a bit bad when Sean approached him, pleading with him to keep Daniel away from any knives. He hadn’t meant to cause trouble, but he hadn’t really thought much. He just figured that if Daniel was like him at all, he’d enjoy some innocent knife throwing. It was a good stress reliever.

He had witnessed the brothers argue a lot, mostly over stupid shit. It was a bit endearing, seeing Sean so protective over his baby bro. Daniel totally hated it, which he understood too. But Finn knew than Sean was just trying to look out for him, so he tried to diffuse most of their fights if he could. Most times, their arguments were pretty standard sibling tiffs. But recently, they’d been more intense than usual.

There was a strain on their relationship. Finn noticed it immediately. _The sudden shift._ The way Daniel isolated himself from his brother. The way Sean would sit with his head in his hands most of the time. The way the two of them barely spoke or looked at each other. Something was wrong.

And Finn wanted to help them.

He couldn’t stand by and let them drift apart, they needed each other. So, he came up with a plan. Nothing crazy. Just get them both alone, try to talk to them. See what the damage is. And try to bring them together again. _Simple enough._

Finn had spent enough time with the two of them to know that they were both incredibly stubborn. He wondered whether they got that from their mom or their dad, but he didn’t ask. Parents were a touchy subject.

The only question was: Who should he talk to first?

He looked around and saw Sean in the kitchen with Cass, Penny, and Jacob. He saw Daniel on his own, headed down the path they took to get to Big Joe’s truck for work. _Daniel first then._

He rushed after the little boy, saying his good mornings to everyone he passed along the way. Sean smiled at him and he nearly forgot what he was doing, but he had to stay focused. This was important. Daniel was small, but he was quick, and Finn had to jog to catch up to him.

He found the little guy sitting on a rock and sulking. He approached carefully, not wanting to scare him. “Hey, little man. What’s up?” Daniel looked up, a small smile on his face as he realized it was Finn. “Hey.”

“Everything okay, man?”

Daniel was quiet. That was concerning since Daniel was never quiet around Finn. “Y’know, you can talk to me. I don’t snitch,” he hoped that would convince the kid to open up. It certainly seemed to calm him down, his shoulders sagged slightly.

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” was all he said. Finn had to come up with a new approach.

“Sometimes, I like to sit here alone and get in touch with my feelings and shit. It’s real good for the soul man, and totally badass,” he hoped Daniel would listen. “Really?” He was fucking precious. “Hell yeah man, absolutely,” Finn paused, observing the boy again.

Daniel was looking at him, studying his face, probably cautious about whether he was telling the truth or not.

“Listen, dude, I know something is going on between you and your big bro, and I don’t wanna see you guys drift apart. Y’all have got something real special, the two of you.”

Daniel seemed to take that seriously, finally admitting, “I don’t wanna drift from him. I just… I feel like he doesn’t need me that much these days. He’s always hanging around with you guys, and whenever we’re alone together, we fight or we don’t talk at all.” Finn stayed quiet, letting the boy continue getting shit off his chest.

“He treats me like a baby, ever since Seattle, and he doesn’t take me seriously. And I…” He paused, clearly struggling with whatever he was thinking. “You can talk to me, little man, seriously.”

“He just doesn’t care about what I want.”

_Okay, something to work with._

Finn thought back to his own relationship with his three older brothers. He’d been the baby of the family, and his brothers loved him to death. He’d never doubted that, not for a minute. But he got where Daniel was coming from. He also wanted his brothers to treat him like a grown-up, and most of the time they didn’t, because he wasn’t. But no matter how mature he tried to act, and how much they tried to treat him like an adult, he knew that at the end of the day when he fell down and scraped his knee, they’d be there to pick him up and put a band-aid on it. They were family. And they looked after him. Always. No matter how many fights they had, no matter how often he felt like they were all growing up without him.

“Daniel, I may not know you guys very well, but I know for a fact that your brother loves you, more than anything,” he started. Daniel sniffed a bit; his eyes were brimming with tears. “Sean is much older than you, and you will always be his baby bro. And there ain’t nothin’ wrong with that. I was the baby of my family, y’know?”

“You were?” Daniel sounded hopeful, so Finn continued.

“Yeah, I was. And my big brothers spoilt me to death. We argued, but we loved each other,” Finn felt his own heart clench in his chest as he thought about his brothers. The day their dad narced on them, sending them all to jail. The way his brothers tried to hug him before the cops separated them. Tears streaming down his face.

He shook the memory away; he had a goal.

“Sean loves you, Daniel. Everything he has done; he has done for you. He tries his best. Maybe you don’t always like it, but he’s not supposed to have this job. It’s hard for him too, he needs to learn how to be a father figure for you. You understand?”

“I think so…”

Finn stayed silent, letting Daniel process everything he said, until the little boy spoke again, “Do you think I’m a kid?” Finn chuckled and answered, “Yeah, I do. And there is nothing wrong with being a kid. You hear me?”

“I hear you.”

“Good. Y’know, you’re a smart kid. Don’t let your fear of losing Sean drive him away.”

Daniel nodded, and Finn knew that he understood what he’d said.

“Let’s head back to camp, come on.”

They walked back, side by side. Neither of them said a word, they both had shit to think about. Sean noticed their return, but he didn’t say anything. Daniel gave Finn a timid smile before walking to the tent he and Sean shared.

Finn knew he had to talk to Sean, but he needed some time alone. So, he went back to his tent, not saying anything to anyone. He could talk to Sean later. He felt Cassidy’s eyes on him, but he knew she’d recognize the look on his face. The slump in his shoulders. He hated how he couldn’t hide his emotions. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and his body and face gave away everything he couldn’t say.

He wasn’t ashamed of his feelings, nothing like that. He embraced his feelings. But that didn’t mean he enjoyed baring his soul to everyone around him. Sometimes he just needed to be alone with his feelings, like he had told Daniel earlier.

Being around the Diaz brothers made Finn more and more aware of how much he missed his own brothers. After he got out of jail, he took off on his own, telling himself to never look back. It wasn’t that easy though. There were days where all he could think about was his big brothers. But he made his choice when he left to live on the road. And he found a new family.

Cassidy. Hannah. Penny. Ingrid. Anders. Jacob. And now, _Daniel and Sean._

And he didn’t need anybody else.

He’d never thought too much about life beyond the group of people he called family. There was never any point. He’d go to the ends of the Earth for any of them if they asked him to. But, if he were to leave, he didn’t know where he’d go.

He didn’t have anywhere to go.

Just as the thoughts in his head started becoming too loud, Sean’s voice broke through, “Hey, uh, Finn?” Finn took a deep breath and leaned over to unzip his tent. It was dark outside; night had fallen. He must have been in there for a couple of hours, _that’s wild._

“Come on in, sweetie,” he offered, attempting to replicate his usual drawl, though not quite having the same effect it usually did. But Sean climbed in anyway, looking nervously around. It was then that Finn realized he’d only ever let Cassidy in his tent before. And only to sleep, nothing more. Even when he and Hannah hooked up, they did that in her tent. And here he was, hanging out with Sean Diaz in his own tent. Finn watched him take in everything that was his tent, a total mess. Cans of spray paint (for tagging trains), some books, a grinder. He noticed Sean’s face darken to a shade of red, so he followed his gaze to look for what caused that reaction. Then he saw the pack of condoms he had next to his bed. _Oops._

“Sorry ‘bout that, honey, I’ll just put those out of the way. Have a seat.”

Sean sat down next to him, visibly nervous, but not uncomfortable. He kept his eyes focused on his fingers as they curled together over his knees. Neither of them said anything for a while, Finn figured Sean came to him for a reason, so he would wait for him to speak. Luckily, Sean didn’t let him wait too long.

“I... I saw you and Daniel walking together earlier, is everything okay? Is he okay?”

Finn tried to swallow down the wave of affection he felt for the boy in front of him. He cared so deeply for his brother. He was too perfect to be real... too perfect to be here, in Humboldt County, in Finn's tent. But now was his chance to talk to Sean. So he had to figure out how to use his voice again.

“Yeah, everything’s cool. I jus’ noticed he wasn’t in the best mood, so I went and sat with him for a while, kept him company. I hope that’s alright with you.”

“Yeah, it’s okay. I’m sure that he'd probably listen to you before he’d even consider talking to me.”

Finn felt a bit bad for Sean. He understood where Daniel was coming from, and could easily relate to him. But Sean had it real bad, and he could see it. He looked like he hadn’t been sleeping much, dark circles starting to form under his eyes. He was probably lying awake most nights, trying to figure out what he was doing wrong with his brother.

“Listen, Sean, I don’t mean to be forward or nothin’, but I talked to Daniel earlier, ‘bout you and him,” Finn admitted cautiously. He feared that Sean would be angry, that he’d maybe overstepped a boundary. But when he met Sean’s eyes, he didn’t see any anger. Only hope.

“What did he say? I’ve been trying to figure out what to do, but nothing I say seems to come out right. And he doesn’t listen to me, ever. And then when I say nothing and give him space, he thinks I’m abandoning him. I just… I don’t know what to do.”

Finn was sure that he hadn’t meant to say all of that. The words seemed to tumble out of his mouth like the floodgates had been opened. But Sean didn’t try to take anything back; he accepted what he’d said and was simply looking up at the roof of the tent with teary eyes. He was probably trying to hold the tears back. _Sweetie, it’s okay. You can cry, I’ll be right here._

“You are doing the best that you can, and Daniel knows this. But, the more you try to control him, the less control you will have over him. He’s just a kid. A kid who has been forced to face shit no one should ever have to face. And he doesn’t know how to be a kid anymore. But he loves you. I know he does. And he knows that you love him.” Finn tried to keep his voice steady; he needed to be sure that he got his point across.

“You guys are brothers, alright? I have big brothers too, and if Daniel is anything like me, there is no doubt in my mind that he loves you with everything in him. Even if he acts like a brat, it’s our job as the baby to be brats sometimes.”

Sean laughed at that, and it gave Finn hope. He was helping. He was doing something right.

“You have looked after Daniel, protected him when y’all were out in the shit. You are a good brother, Sean Diaz. And you and Daniel, you guys will figure your shit out. You won’t lose him.”

“I really fucking hope so.”

One pause. Two seconds. Three rapid beats of Finn’s heart. Then Sean whispered, “Thank you, Finn.”

Their eyes met then; for the first time that night. A faint light shone through the side of the tent. Finn could trace all the outlines of Sean’s face, even in the slight darkness. He’d studied his face in his memories, late at night when he couldn’t sleep. The way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he laughed. The way his eyebrows pressed together when he was focused on trimming at work. The way his tongue stuck out between his lips, _those fucking kissable lips_ , when he sat down and started to draw, thinking no one was watching him.

But that was just the issue; Finn found himself watching Sean more often than not. He mentally scolded himself every time, reminding himself to take things slowly. But then Sean would smile at him, and he’d do it all over again.

“Finn?”

“Yeah, sweetie?”

“I really do appreciate what you did, talking to Daniel, and to me. Thank you does not even begin to cover it.”

“Don’t sweat it, pups. It’s cool.”

Sean smiled again, and Finn thought he might die on the spot. He was too damn cute.

But he wasn’t ready to die yet. Not before he knew what those lips felt like pressed against his.

_Focus, Finn. Slow._

Finn cleared his throat to steady himself and his thoughts, which Sean took as his cue to leave.

“Alright, I should get back to my tent. Daniel and I should probably… talk.”

“All good. G’night Sean.”

“Goodnight, Finn.”

And if Finn stared at his ass as he climbed out of the tent, well, he'd never admit to that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, if you've made it this far. I hope you're all enjoying this story still. Let me know what you thought of these chapters in the comments down below.  
> I probably won't update again before Saturday, since I've got a test to study for, but I'll try my best!


	7. Curious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back y'all!  
> This chapter features Sean's inner thoughts and the infamous campfire scene from the game, minus the haircut (I kinda hated the haircut, sorry not sorry, I love Sean's shag)  
> Mostly Sean's POV, with a dash of Finn's.  
> Enjoy!

When Sean got back to the tent he and Daniel were sharing, Daniel was already fast asleep. _I guess that talk will have to wait until morning._

It wasn’t all that bad though. He needed some time to think. He didn’t want to mess things up with Daniel even more than he felt he already had. His brother seemed so distant these days, so angry. Sean didn’t know if that anger was directed at him only, or at the world and the situation in general. Probably both.

Finn had been right earlier. Daniel was just a kid, and he didn’t deserve to go through the shit they faced. He was too young to have a responsibility as big as controlling such a power. He didn’t deserve any of it. 

Sean muttered a curse under his breath, and then tensed as Daniel shifted in his sleep. He didn’t want to wake him up, Daniel isn’t very pleasant when his sleep is interrupted. But Daniel simply continued to sleep, and Sean let out a breath he had been holding.

Tomorrow, they would talk. Tomorrow, they would resolve their issues. He’d try to take Finn’s advice. But for now, Sean needed to sleep. It had been a long few days, and he’d been constantly on edge because of his brother. And now, for the first time in days, he felt a sense of calm. He felt as if he might know what to do with Daniel now.

_Because of Finn._

Finn had really been a huge help. Finn, with his tattoos, and his piercings, and his messy clothes. Finn, the guy who seemed to not give a fuck 90% of the time. Finn, the guy that recklessly tried to teach Daniel to throw knives.

Sean felt that he really should have been more upset with Finn over that, but he couldn’t find it in himself. Not when Finn gave him that look. The same one he gave Sean the day they found each other in Humboldt County. The one that he gave him last night when they sat in his tent.

A look that said something Sean couldn’t possibly understand, because he’d never seen that before. There was something in the way his blue eyes sparkled, in the way he smiled when their eyes met. How could something so simple, set fire to every inch of Sean’s skin?

He tried to ignore the way Finn’s bottom lip got caught between his teeth when they were alone. He tried to ignore the racing of his own heart at the sight. Sean found himself, more often than not, trying to control the flushing of his cheeks around him. But he failed.

He’d tried his best to keep his head. There was no time for romance, and girls, and guys…

Daniel was his priority. Getting to Puerto Lobos in one piece was his priority.

Not boys with dreads that were way too sexy for their own good.

And yet, Sean couldn’t deny the fact that Finn was sexy.

Finn was…

He was beautiful.

And Sean liked him. He really liked him. And that really scared him.

He needed to stay focused. He and Daniel would be leaving eventually, so Sean knew he couldn’t afford to get attached. He’d learned that the hard way, on the run.

So, he attempted to shake the thought away and closed his eyes.

But it was no use.

_I like Finn._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn fell asleep easily that night, and when morning came he found himself to be wide awake and ready for the day. Today would be a good day.

As the group headed to Big Joe’s truck, Finn noticed Daniel and Sean were walking together again. He smiled at that. They weren’t talking, but they were together, and that was progress.

Work had been really uneventful, the same old shit every day. Merrill assigned them their duties, Big Joe yelled, and everyone got to work. Nothing new. The ride back to camp was just as wild as it always was. Penny ranted about his latest theory, Cass and Hans got into an argument, Sean and Jacob were talking to each other.

Finn was happy to see Sean smile. The sight had become more frequent, and he was not about to complain.

After their talk the night before, he’d sat in his tent smiling like a freak for a while. He was in deep, and it was both terrifying and exhilarating. But he really liked Sean, and he was very much okay with that. Finn could only hope that he would eventually feel the same way… Assuming he liked guys.

“Yo’, Earth to Finn,” Cass said, ripping Finn from his thoughts and fantasies.

He noticed then that they were back at the camp, so he got up and walked with Cass. He noticed Sean and Daniel head off in the other direction together, hopefully, to talk. He believed they could work it out.

“So, how’s it going?”

“Huh?”

Finn felt a bit guilty; he was really lost in thought which made for some bad conversation habits.

Luckily, Cassidy didn’t mind all that much, simply laughing and teasing him for his obvious distractedness.

_I really need to get a grip._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Okay, Daniel _._ Let’s try that one over there again,” Sean suggested.

When they arrived back at the camp, Sean asked Daniel if he’d like to have a training session. The boy had been way more excited about it than anticipated, running off to their spot as though the last few days of arguing had never happened. _Baby steps._

Daniel was definitely getting stronger, and he had way more control over his power now. Pride surged through him as he watched his little brother effortlessly hit the target that he’d set up earlier. Said brother was currently beaming, most probably very proud of himself too. _And he should be,_ Sean thought to himself.

They trained mostly in silence, except for a few words of encouragement from his side, and the occasional bragging Daniel enjoyed when he pulled some cool tricks off. But the silence wasn’t awkward, or tense. It was peaceful, just two wolf brothers working together.

When the sun started setting, and Daniel started showing signs of exhaustion, Sean suggested they call it a day. Daniel nodded in silent agreement, turning back towards the camp, but Sean called out to him before he started walking.

“Uh, hey Daniel? Can we talk, for a minute?”

The boy stayed still for a moment, seemingly in contemplation, before turning back towards his big brother and saying, “Sure.”

And so, the wolf brothers sat down, side by side, ready to talk.

“Listen, Daniel, I think I should apologize,” Sean started, but he was cut off by his brother.

“No, no, I should apologize. I’m sorry, Sean,” his brother sounded so young then, so much like he used to back in Seattle. Before the world robbed him of his chance to be a kid.

“For what, _enano_? I’m the one that’s been neglecting you and leaving you behind.”

“But I’ve been making it hard for you, and you’ve been trying your best.”

Sean was taken aback, wondering for a minute when exactly his baby brother got so mature.

_That was probably thanks to Finn, I really should thank him later._

“When did you grow up?” Sean teased, hoping his tone didn’t sound mean.

Luckily, Daniel seemed to pick up that it was a joke, only laughing softly. Sean felt relieved, they were laughing together. He really missed this.

“I promise I’ll spend more time with you from now on, okay? You’re my brother, and you will always come first. Always. I promise.”

Daniel lit up then, and Sean felt truly happy at that moment.

“Thanks, Sean. But you know, it’s okay that you’re hanging out with other people. Like Jacob. I hang out with Cassidy and Finn too.”

It was Sean’s turn to let out a laugh, he forgot how his brother saw Finn and Cassidy as his friends before Sean’s. He didn’t mind though. They were both good to him.

“Okay, _enano._ Thank you. So, we’re cool?”

Daniel nodded eagerly, and said, “We’re cool Sean.”

They sat there for a while after that, talking and catching up. Sean even agreed to let Daniel practice throwing knives with Finn, as long as he promised to be careful, to not use his powers, and to not do it by himself. Daniel agreed, happy to have gotten the chance to spend more time with Finn. Sean didn’t blame him; he’d jump at the opportunity to spend more time with Finn too.

By the time they got back to the campsite, it was dark, and everyone was gathered around the fire. Much like they were on the first night when Sean and Daniel arrived. It was a cool picture, and he made a mental note to whip out his notebook and capture the moment.

“Sean! Daniel! Get your asses over here, you’re missing the show,” Cassidy yelled before her attention was on Penny who seemed to be deep in another conspiracy theory. Finn was next to her, just as caught up in the action. There was a spot open next to him, and a spot next to Jacob across from him.

Before Sean could even think about moving, much too distracted by the glow of the fire on Finn’s face, Daniel was running ahead to claim the seat next to Finn. He tried his best not to show disappointment and finally made his way next to Jacob who quietly filled him in on what was going on.

While Jacob spoke, he looked over to check on Daniel, who was deep in conversation with Finn. However, Finn was not looking at Daniel.

_Finn’s looking at me._

Sean quickly averted his gaze, fixing his attention on Jacob again.

Penny was apparently under the impression that Merrill and Big Joe were actually government spies sent to look out for criminals and monitor their activity for research purposes. It was pretty entertaining witnessing the group dynamic at times like these. Plus, he got to see more of Ingrid and Anders who mostly kept to themselves. They were actually pretty cool. Much more mellow and laid back than the rest of the group, which said a lot.

But after a while, things started winding down, and people started heading to their tents. Daniel also seemed to be fighting the urge to fall asleep, slightly leaning on Finn’s shoulders. The tattooed boy showed no signs of annoyance and had taken to wrapping his one arm around the sleepy boy. Sean felt his heart soften at the sight of the two. Finn had his head resting on top of Daniels, even though he was still wide awake. His hand was rubbing soothing circles over the younger boy’s shoulder.

Jacob noticed too, and said in his usual quiet voice “Finn’s really good with Daniel, isn’t he?”

Sean nodded, “Yeah… He really is.”

When he glanced over at Jacob, he had a knowing smile on his face. Sean smiled back.

“Looks like it’s Daniel’s bedtime,” Cass teased, and to Sean’s surprise, his little brother made no noise or move of protest. He was apparently way too comfortable to fight it.

“Alright, little man, let’s get’chu to bed. That okay with you, big brother?” Finn directed the question at Sean, who could only nod. He was still so surprised at how kind Finn was with Daniel; it only deepened those feelings that lingered in his heart.

Finn gently moved Daniel, so he could stand up and take the boy's hand and led him back to the tents. Jacob took his leave too then, followed by Penny, leaving only Sean, Cassidy, and Hannah. He was grateful that Cassidy was there since he wasn’t so sure Hannah liked him all that much.

“Want another drink, Hans?” Cass asked.

Hannah only shook her head, and said “Nah, I might be hosting tonight.”

Sean was curious about what that meant, her tone had been pretty suggestive. Hosting who? Everyone else had already gone to bed, leaving only him and Cassidy.

And Finn.

The boy in question came back then and took a seat next to Sean this time. The simple gesture made his heart soar. He wondered why Finn didn’t simply take back his previous seat. But he said nothing, only continuing to focus on the warmth of the fire on his fingertips.

Then Cass spoke again, “We were just talking ‘bout you.”

_We were?_

“Well, don’ I feel all special and shit now,” Finn teased, his usual drawl laced with a playful cockiness that Sean thought was maybe the sexiest thing he’d ever heard.

“Yeah, I wasn’t sure if you’d be joining me later,” Hannah explained.

Then the pieces fell into place. Hannah was talking about Finn, hosting Finn. _Finn. Shit. Are they together?_ A million thoughts raced through his head, how long had they been together? How come they slept in different tents? But he felt a bit disappointed. For a minute there, he’d thought maybe Finn had been flirting with him these past few days. That he maybe… liked him.

_So dumb. He probably acts like that with everyone._

Finn didn’t say anything, simply smoking the joint Cass had passed to him. Sean decided to bite the bullet and get some answers to the questions burning in his brain.

“Sooo… How long, uhm, have you guys been… together?”

Silence. Then laughter? Had he missed the joke?

“What’s so funny?”

“Nuthin’, jus’ you. The look on yer’ face right now,” Finn teased, wiping tears from the corner of his eye.

Sean was still lost.

Hannah and Cass were still laughing, so he looked to Finn for an explanation.

“Hans and I aren’t together, sweetie,” Finn said softly.

_Oh._

“Yeeeah, we’re just fuck buddies,” Hannah added, her tone more amused than usual.

_Oh._

“Oh. Right.”

 _So they’re… not together?_ Sean felt relieved. Maybe Finn had been flirting with him really had been flirting with him after all.

The drifters went on to explain how they just ‘fuck who they wanna fuck’, and Sean tried his best not to show how completely not used to all of this he was. He didn’t want to come off as judgemental, or boring.

“Nobody’s telling me whose dick to suck, that’s fuckin’ freedom,” Finn said. He spoke with that usual air of confidence. That was the whole 'I don't give a fuck' vibe that he always seemed to give off, that Sean was finding more attractive by the day.

_So, Finn likes guys… I think?_

“You feel us, Sean? Or do we sound like depraved punks to you?” Hannah asked, a challenging tinge to her voice.

“No, no not at all. I mean… It’s just all new to me, but it’s cool. Do whatever you want, as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody. My Dad always told me that.”

Hannah looked pleased with that answer, nodding slowly and smiling? Well, smiling was an exaggeration. But it was as close to a smile as Sean ever expected to see from her. She took a puff of the joint being passed around, losing interest in the topic at hand.

Sean seized the opportunity, turning to Finn and asking, “So.. does that mean you’re into guys and all?”

Finn chuckled, twisting in his place to look more directly at Sean.

“Uh, that depends on the position. But yeah, sure.” He added a wink because of course, he would.

Sean tried to fight the warmth spreading across his neck and cheeks.

“So... would you consider yourself bi.. or-“

“-Horny.”

_Oh wow. Okay._

Cassidy laughed out loud at that. Hannah stayed quiet, not particularly invested in the conversation.

“I see people, not gender,” Finn added. Sean nodded in understanding.

_Finn likes guys… Does that mean-_

“Looks like Sean’s a little curious,” Cassidy teased, and Sean sucked in a breath, wishing he’d kept his mouth shut. Finn was still looking at him, that smirk on his face like he knew something nobody else did.

“So, what about you?”

_Crap._

Sean had always found girls attractive. He’d had a thing for Jen, just before shit went down in Seattle and he had to leave. He’d never really thought much about guys, never really gave it any consideration. But Finn changed that, definitely. Finn was all he thought about these days.

“Uh, I mean, I like girls."

Finn was taking a puff of the joint Hannah passed to him. The lack of attention on him gave Sean the chance to just dive in. Be brave.

"But some boys are cute too… I don’t know, I’ve never actually done anything, so,” Sean admitted, not really looking away from Finn. _Very subtle._

Finn's reaction was unexpected. He halted his movements, still holding the joint in front of his open mouth, frozen like something you'd see in a cartoon. And then his head whipped to look at Sean, almost comically fast. Sean tried not to shy away from the intensity in his very very blue eyes. There was a curious glint in them, and it gave Sean a feeling that was alarmingly close to hope.

“Oooh, what’s your type?”

And yeah, Sean was definitely blushing then. He could feel his cheeks burning, and wouldn't be surprised if they looked as pink as they felt. Finn had definitely just flirted with him, in front of Cassidy and Hannah.

He wasn’t ready to respond, not out loud... but he knew his answer. 

_You._

Luckily Cassidy came to his rescue.

“Jeez. Give him a break, master player.”

“He knows I’m cute.”

_Cute is an understatement._

“Okay lovebirds, that’s it for me,” Hannah said, though there was no bite in her tone. Sean was grateful for that.

“Yeah, me too. I don’t wanna leave Daniel alone for too long. _Gracias por todo._ See ya, my dudes,” Sean said with a wave of his arms as he started walking away. But Hannah’s voice made him linger for a second.

“You gonna swing by Finn?”

Sean chanced a look back at the group, and Finn’s eyes met his. For a second, he felt scared. Scared that Finn might say yes because that would mean he would spend the night with Hannah… He didn’t want him to say yes.

“Nah, sweetie. No energy,” Finn answered after what felt like years.

Sean turned away quickly, to hide the smile that took over his face, and walked back to his tent.

_He said no._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

When Finn got back to his tent, he allowed himself to smile. Sean liked guys. Sean was curious about him and Hannah. Sean liked guys.

He pumped his fist silently, thankful for the privacy of his tent.

_Sean likes guys._

Today was a good day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.  
> I kept most of the canon campfire scene from the game, but looking more at Sean's thoughts during the entire scene with a few minor changes.  
> I might also change the rating of this story to M soon, out of abundance of caution.  
> Thank you for reading :)


	8. Another life

The next morning, Sean woke up with a smile on his face. He’d slept well, he and Daniel were okay, and Finn… Well, Finn was Finn.

The smile quickly disappeared as his happiness was replaced by panic. Daniel wasn’t in bed. He had to suppress the urge to assume the worst, they were safe here. Not like that night in the woods when they had to set up camp in that cave. Sean tried to relax, he needed to be rational. Daniel was safe here. He was safe here. So, he took a deep breath, pulled his worn wolf squad hoodie over his head, and pulled his shoes on.

He was a total mess. This hoodie was all he'd worn for weeks, and the heat didn't do him any favors. He rolled up the sleeves in the hopes that it would do something to help him avoid sweating to death. His hair was definitely an uncontrollable mess too, but that was an issue for later; he had to find Daniel first. And even though he’d slept well, he was clearly still half asleep.

But he clambered out of the tent, making a beeline for Penny and Ingrid who were talking over a cup of coffee.

“Hey guys, have you seen Daniel?”

“What’s up, Sean, I haven’t seen him, sorry,” Penny said, before quickly setting his focus back on his coffee.

Sean swallowed down the lump in his throat, he needed to stay calm. No use freaking out over nothing, Daniel could look after himself.

“I saw him with Finn earlier, they headed that way,” Ingrid offered sweetly.

Sean instantly felt relief flood through him, Daniel was with Finn. He was okay. He quickly thanked Ingrid and walked in the direction Ingrid had pointed.

He heard Finn first, who sounded really excited about something.

“Holy shit, dude! That was dope!”

Sean quickly ran a hand through his hair, hoping it would do something to fix the unruly mop on his head. He mentally scolded himself for it, but still quickly straightened out his hoodie before approaching the pair.

He caught a glance of Daniel getting another bulls-eye with ease, before making himself known.

“Uh, hey guys,” he said, trying to sound nonchalant. He didn’t want Daniel to think he was angry.

“Mornin’ sleepyhead,” Finn greeted.

“Hey Sean, look what I did! So cool,” Daniel announced, his voice ripe with excitement. It was a precious sight.

“I saw, that was really impressive,” he offered, hoping he sounded as sincere as he was. It was enough for his brother since his smile grew ten times wider then.

“Kid is a fuckin’ ninja, six bulls-eyes. Can you believe that?” Finn was just as excited, which was possibly even more adorable than his brother’s excitement. But Sean needed to stay cool.

The older of the two boys approached him then, arms wide and smile bright. Sean’s heart clenched, and he offered a timid smile in return. Finn’s arm casually wrapped itself around Sean again, which happened a lot. And he definitely didn’t mind, only hoping he didn’t seem as flustered as he was.

Daniel was practically bouncing as Finn steered him closer, spouting on and on about how good of a teacher Finn was. Finn only laughed and insisted Daniel had a natural talent, which the younger boy didn’t argue with. Typical Daniel.

“We didn’t wanna wake your sleepy ass up, but Daniel said you were cool with the lessons,” Finn explained, before quickly adding, You’re cool, right?” Sean could only nod in agreement, his voice lost on him the minute Finn touched him. Finn threw him a subtle wink then, before removing his arm and getting the knife back from out of the tree.

As he walked back to the two brothers, Sean noticed how he confidently twirled the knife between his fingers. Everything he did was just so, hot. Sean found his gaze fixated on the way Finn’s fingers played with the knife, hoping it wasn’t too noticeable.

“So, sweetheart, you wanna give it a go?”

_Absolutely not._

“Sean can’t throw,” Daniel retorted, but his tone wasn’t laced with any real anger. He was teasing him.

_I see how it is._

His brother wore a smirk on his face, probably something he learned from Finn. The two were too similar, in so many ways.

“Aw come on little man, let big bro take a shot. Who knows? Maybe you got your skills from him,” Finn teased, giving Sean way too much confidence. Which is why he said, “Sure, yeah, I’ll try.”

“No way! You’re actually doing it?” Daniel seemed genuinely surprised, but also excited. Finn matched his excitement.

“Sick. All you gotta do is aim at the target, sweetie,” Finn said, his voice coming from behind Sean. Sean didn’t know when he’d come up behind him, but he could feel his warmth against his own back. Sean resisted the urge to lean back into his chest, as Finn reached his arm around him to hand over the knife. Sean felt shivers down his spine as Finn's breath tickled his neck.

Sean gave the knife a good look, desperate to focus on anything other than Finn. A simple flip knife, with a wooden handle. The blade was clearly worn. Definitely used a lot. He wondered what for, but he could ask later. He got into position, pleading silently to whichever higher power was out there that he’d make the shot. He really wanted to impress Finn.

And Daniel, _obviously._

Deep breath. Aim. Throw.

“BLAM! Right between the fucking eyes!” Finn yelled, offering Sean a double high five. Daniel’s jaw was on the floor.

“Sean, when did you learn to throw like that?” he asked, his eyes bright with excitement.

Finn was still cheering him on, as he went to retrieve the knife.

“Did y’all escape from some circus? Damn!”

Sean tried not to look too chuffed with himself, but he was really happy. He’d surprised himself. And impressed Finn... And Daniel. 

“Look’s like Daniel inherited the family blade skills from big brother after all,” Finn added. Daniel didn’t seem put off though, merely nodding his head in agreement. That took Sean by surprise, letting Finn compliment Sean like that and taking the spotlight off of him. But he didn’t question it, letting himself enjoy Finn’s praise.

The three of them took turns then, Sean managing to impress the other two most of the time. But he had to admit, Daniel was really good. It was seriously cool. But lunch was approaching, and Sean was hoping he could catch Finn alone soon. Almost on cue, Finn answered his prayers.

“Alright little man, why don’t you run along to camp now? We can practice later again if big brother’s cool with it.”

“Okay! Thanks, Finn! And thank you, Sean, you’re the best,” Daniel praised before running down the path to the camp. _Yep, still a kid._

“Uh, that was really cool. You taught him well,” Sean said, his voice soft and awkward as usual.

“No problem man, that kid is cool! He’s like the little brother I never had,” Finn drawled.

Sean smiled, eyes still on his brother’s figure disappearing around the corner.

“Not that I’m as hot or cool as his big bro,” Finn added.

And Sean could only hope Finn didn’t see the blush deepening on his cheeks, yet again. It was at times like these where he wondered if Finn was flirting with him. It seemed like it, but he was too scared to say something. What if he misread the signals? Then he’d totally embarrass himself.

But the look on Finn’s face made him think twice, his blue eyes staring deeply into his own brown ones. His breath hitched, and he cleared his throat before trying to speak again.

“Do you, uh- do you come out here and do this a lot?” Sean asked.

“Nah, sometimes. Mostly use this thing here for wood carving,” Finn answered, still standing with that way too inviting look on his face. Sean found himself licking his lips, and he immediately knew that Finn had noticed.

Those blue eyes were honed in on the action and were now fixed on Sean’s lips.

_Oh fuck._

He quickly took a step back, nearly stumbling over his own feet. But he quickly found his balance.

“So, uh, cool knife?”

“Huh?” Finn looked dazed. Maybe even flustered. Something Sean had never seen on him before. It was an interesting image.

“Your knife, it’s pretty cool.”

Finn caught up then. “Oh, right. Yeah. My dad gave it to me, a long time ago.” His voice sounded different then, more tentative than usual.

“Oh, were- uh, were you and him close?”

“We were, once upon a time…” Finn spoke softly then, way too soft to be normal. Sean wondered if he’d overstepped a boundary there.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry or anything,” he started, but Finn cut him off gently.

“Nah, sweetie, it’s all good. Just not my favorite story to tell… Maybe another time.”

Sean nodded earnestly, relieved that Finn wasn’t mad at him. The tattooed boy offered him a timid smile. Not like the others, but genuine still. Sean offered one right back.

“Let’s head back, I need me some food.”

And they headed down the path together.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

When they got back to the camp, Sean went off to find Jacob. Finn watched him walk away, his walk so much more certain than it had been when they first met. He’d really come a long way. And today, his ‘just woke up’ look, beyond sexy. Not to mention the way his tongue slid across his bottom lip like that. Finn had nearly malfunctioned at that. It was like torture, watching Sean be so innocently tantalizing. It was… hypnotic. And he wasn’t even trying.

Finn wondered what it would look like if he actually tried to be seductive.

_Nope. Not right now. Mistake._

He couldn’t stand there watching Sean all day, as much as he’d like to do just that. So, he shook his head, his dreads whipping around with the motion. 

“Yo, Finn! Come here for a sec,” Hannah called out.

She was sitting at the kitchen table, a beer in her hand. Finn headed over, grabbing a beer of his own before sitting down across from her.

“What’s up? You miss me?” he teased.

“Shut up, idiot. Where have you been?”

“Awww Hans, you have been missing me, haven’t ya?” Finn loved messing with Hannah, they had always been really close.

She merely rolled her eyes, before continuing, “You were with Sean again, right?”

“I mean, yeah. And Daniel,” he said. He was a bit confused.

“Daniel came back, long before you two,” Hannah pushed.

“Well yeah, we were just talking. We hung back a bit,” Finn explained, but he was really lost now.

“What’s your problem, Hannah?”

“I don’t have a problem, Finn,” she bit back.

“Seriously, what’s going on with you?”

“You like him, don’t you?”

_That’s what this is about? Jealousy?_

“Is that a problem?” he challenged. She rolled her eyes again, and Finn felt himself get annoyed too. He hated fighting, especially with Hannah. He had enough of that shit back at home before shit went South.

“Problem?”

“Yeah, Hans. A problem. ‘Coz you seem like you have a problem,” Finn tried to hide the annoyance in his voice, but this was frustrating. She couldn’t be jealous, they both agreed that they were just fuck buddies. Nothing more.

“And why would I have a problem with that?”

_Jeez._

“I dunno, why don’t you tell me? Because to me, it seems like you’re jealous,” Finn said. For a second, Hannah looked genuinely surprised. And then, she laughed. _Laughed._

“Oh god, no! I am not jealous,” she said, trying to control her laughter. Finn’s anger quickly faded back into confusion.

“Then, what’s up with you?”

“I’m worried, Finn.”

_Huh?_

“Huh?”

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose and closing her eyes. Then she looked up at Finn and stared at him blankly.

“I don’t mind that you like him. Honestly, you guys would be kind of cute together. Suburban boys have always been your soft spot,” she said, taking Finn totally by surprise. Before he could question it though, she continued, “But he will be leaving, eventually. He’s not cut out for this life. And I highly doubt he’ll stay here forever. He’s told us all that they plan to go to Mexico.”

Finn stayed quiet.

“I just, don’t want you to get attached. When he leaves, which he will, he will leave us all behind. Including you. I don’t want you to get hurt. You’re my friend. You’re my family,” Hannah spoke again. She sounded sincere, and Finn was taken aback. He leaned back, trying to process everything.

He’d always known Sean would leave, but he kind of pushed that thought away. He was just living in the moment, acting on his feelings, without too much thought for the future. He’d told himself that he would cross that bridge when he got there.

And maybe he’d let himself believe that maybe Sean would decide to stay here, with them. With him. But he knew that was unlikely. Sean had a plan, and staying here wasn’t a part of that plan. Hannah was right.

He’d let himself fall too deeply. And too quickly. Without thinking ahead. He never really thought too far ahead, not beyond working here and being here with his family. But now…

He couldn’t picture a future for himself where Sean wasn’t there.

_Shit._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Okay, so what you’re saying is, you and Daniel worked in a circus in a past life?” Jacob teased.

Sean had filled him in on most of the morning’s antics with Finn and Daniel.

“Shut up, dude. It was just beginner’s luck, and Finn’s a good teacher,” he answered.

“Yeah, clearly. He loves Daniel a lot,” the boy said with a smile on his face. Sean agreed silently. Finn definitely was fond of Daniel. Watching the two of them interact never failed to make him smile.

“He seems to have taken a liking to you too,” Jacob added, wagging his eyebrows.

“What? Dude, no way. Why would you even say that?” Sean tried to play it cool, but his voice was shrill and he knew it would give him away.

“I don’t know, maybe because I have eyes.” _When did Jacob turn into Lyla?_ “It’s not like he’s very subtle,” Jacob added. Sean blushed. He was doing that a lot these days.

“Nah, dude, he’s like that with everyone,” he defended. But deep down, he wanted to believe that Finn acted differently towards him. He wanted to believe that Finn liked him. But he couldn’t get his hopes up.

Jacob only shook his head, and muttered “Sure, Sean,” before moving onto a new topic. But Sean couldn’t keep up, his mind was still stuck on Jacob’s words. Could it be?

He knew there was a chance that he was misreading the signals, but for Jacob to misread too? It seemed more unlikely. Jacob was really observant, after all.

“Do you really think Finn, uh… do you really think that he- “

“Yes. 100%,” Jacob said, no shred of doubt in his voice. Sean gulped, suddenly feeling like he needed some fresh air.

_They were already outside._

“Why? You want him to?” Jacob teased again, repeating the movement of his eyebrows from earlier.

Sean lightly shoved his shoulder. 

“Shut up.”

Jacob simply laughed, while Sean hid his burning face in his hands.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn watched the two boys interact from where he sat under a tree. He twirled his knife between his fingers once more, a piece of wood barely resembling a stake lying next to him, long forgotten. Hannah’s words still echoed in his mind.

_He’s not cut out for this life._

Maybe. He was strong enough for it. But he deserved better.

_He will leave us all behind._

Finn twirled the knife again.

_You’re my family._

Sean was his family too. And Daniel.

He glanced over at Sean and Jacob again. Jacob was busy cracking up over something while Sean burrowed his head in his hands. The two had really gotten close.

He looked over to Daniel, who was deep in conversation with Penny, Hannah, and Cassidy.

Both brothers fit in here. They could stay if they chose to. It worked. Finn wanted them to stay. But he knew that Sean wouldn’t risk staying here for too long. He was firm on his plan, and Finn understood why. This country, it wasn’t safe for them. They deserved a better life. Somewhere else. And they wanted to be close to their father, to be close to his memory.

But he wished it were different. He wished he’d met Sean under better circumstances. Maybe in another life, they’d meet in the hallway of the high school they both attended. He would knock the books out of Sean's hands and then fumble around on the floor to gather them. They would become friends, and they would fall in love. He would take Sean to his senior prom, and Sean would be there to watch him graduate. He would work hard to earn Mr. Diaz's approval and take care of any bullies that messed with Sean.

They would be his family.

And maybe in that life, Sean would get everything he wanted. Everything he deserved. The world. And Finn would give that to him. He’d be able to.

But this was the life they got. And Sean didn’t get what he deserved. He had gotten this life, living on the run, for shit he didn’t do. He lost his father. And his mother.

And Finn, he lost his family too.

Maybe it wasn’t supposed to happen for them. Maybe they were destined to part ways eventually. Maybe.

But Finn didn’t regret meeting Sean or falling for him. If given the option to go back in time and prevent them from meeting, he wouldn’t. Because knowing Sean, even if only for a while, even if he left one day, was worth all the pain of eventually saying goodbye.

He looked over at Sean again, his sweetie. His Sean. He was laughing with Jacob now.

If Finn had met him in another life, he’d be gone for him then too. There was no way he could know Sean and not fall for him. The concept seemed so foreign to him, not liking Sean. Unimaginable. But it didn’t matter. Because in this life, he met Sean in a crappy, stuffy small town. In this life, Sean found him here in Humboldt County. And in this life, Finn was in deep.

Being with Sean was like being at peace for once. It was unusual since Finn thrived on chaos. Even his tattoos reflected that, spread haphazardly across his body, most with no meaning at all. But there was no chaos when he was with Sean… except maybe in his mind when Sean did that sexy tongue thing.

He didn’t mind though, Sean excited him just as quickly as he calmed him.

And maybe that part was the scariest to him. Knowing how much control Sean had over him, without him even realizing it. He knew that if Sean asked him to jump, he’d jump. If Sean asked him to run, he’d run.

_I just... don’t want you to get attached._

Their eyes met then, and Sean held his gaze again. It was a rare thing, but Finn treasured it every time, taking the opportunity to study his face more. Sean didn’t shy away, despite the reddening of his cheeks. Finn could see it from where he sat. He was so fucking cute.

Yeah… Too late for that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> We're getting down to the real romance and the ~spicy~ content soon. Stay tuned.


	9. A strong connection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you've read the title then I'm sure y'all know what time it is ;)  
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

“I’m just saying, Finn doesn’t act that way around anyone else. He likes you.”

Jacob had spent a good chunk of the morning trying to convince Sean that Finn was into him. It had been a few days since he had first brought it up, and since then, Jacob had taken every opportunity to point out when Finn ‘flirted’ with him.

It was surprising to Sean, really. Jacob had always seemed so quiet, so mellow. To see him talking so animatedly was really unusual. But Sean liked it, it reminded him of how Lyla used to go on about Jenn with him. He really missed her. He often found himself thinking about how well Lyla would get along with the people here. But he was glad to have made such a great friend out here.

Sean merely rolled his eyes at Jacob, hoping that his lack of participation in the conversation would make it go away.

“Sean! Jacob! Come over here!” Daniel called from where he was sitting. He was waving them over with wild arm motions. Finn was sitting next to him, his eyes fixed on the two boys.

Jacob started walking first, a subtle smirk on his face. Sean followed behind reluctantly, hoping the Earth would swallow him.

“Hey Daniel, hey Finn. What’s up?” Jacob asked sweetly. Sean was distracted by the way Finn’s fingers were tracing the outline of the tattoo on his arm.

“Hey Jake, mornin’ sweetie,” Finn said, his voice smooth as usual.

Sean felt Jacob nudge his arm, not subtly at all, and Finn noticed too. He didn’t question it though, merely raising his eyebrow slightly before looking over at Daniel.

“Look what I did!”

Daniel was holding out a piece of paper, practically bouncing. Jacob reached over and took the page, holding it out for Sean and him to look at.

_Wow._

The top of the page read: The Adventures of the Spirit Squad.

Sean didn’t know whether to be happy or sad. He felt a twinge of guilt, knowing how much his little brother missed Chris. They became really close, really fast.

The page was full of drawings of Super Wolf and Captain Spirit, fighting crime together. It was almost like a comic reel. The drawings weren’t exactly perfect, but Sean was impressed all the same.

“Holy shit, enano. This is so cool, I didn’t know you were into drawing,” Sean admitted. He’d always been the artist of their family. He never thought that Daniel could possibly share that passion too.

“Right? That shit is dope, kid’s a genius,” Finn praised, giving Daniel a pat on the shoulder. The boy practically beamed at that.

“It’s really impressive, Daniel. Where did you learn to draw like that?” Jacob asked, a smile on his face. His eyes were still scanning the page in his hand.

Daniel blushed then, staring at the ground. He mumbled something under his breath, his hand fiddling with the frayed hem of his jeans.

“Uh, I didn’t really hear what you said,” Jacob said. Daniel sighed then, looking everywhere except at Sean before he finally spoke.

“I learned from Sean.”

The three boys spoke in unison, “What?”

Sean was shocked, he’d never really taught his brother. _How did he learn from me?_

Finn looked confused, and a little surprised. Jacob just looked impressed.

“No way! Sean, you didn’t tell me you were teaching art classes,” Jacob teased, but he wasn’t mocking about it. He continued, “Can you teach me? Maybe then I can draw my own chicken next time.”

Sean laughed at that, but Daniel still seemed a bit shy, and Finn was still confused. Sean offered his little brother a comforting smile, and he lightened up at that.

“Well, he didn’t really teach me, not exactly. I just... I always used to watch him draw. And I liked to look at his art, and I guess I just picked up a few things…” Daniel admitted with a hopeful look on his face. Sean went to sit next to him, giving him a hug then. He whispered, “Thank you, enano. That means a lot,” before readjusting himself.

Jacob also took a seat then, opposite the three of them, still looking at the drawings.

“So, you’re an artist?” Finn finally asked. Sean only nodded, studying Finn’s face for some kind of reaction, or feeling. _Does he think it’s lame?_

But then Finn smirked and said, “That is _hot._ ”

Sean gulped then, seeing Jacob look up at him in the corner of his eye. He avoided his gaze, kept his eyes on Finn instead, which was probably worse.

“Seriously, sweetheart. You gotta show me your work sometime,” Finn enthused, before adding, “If you’re okay with that?” Sean nodded. He didn’t know why. He didn’t like showing people his drawings, but when Finn asked… He couldn’t say no.

“His drawings are so cool! I hope I can draw like that one day. Could you maybe teach me for real, Sean?”

Sean definitely couldn’t say no to that either. So, he said, “Of course, enano.” His brother practically jumped out of his seat at that, wrapping his arms around Sean before running off.

The thought of Daniel looking up to him, and admiring his art, made him feel good. For once, he felt like Daniel thought he was genuinely cool, not just his lame big brother that’s always strict on rules. He wished he could go back to when they were in Seattle. He’d be a better brother to Daniel then. He wouldn’t kick him out of his bedroom every single time. But he would be a better brother now. He had to be.

“You gonna teach me too, honey? I wouldn’t mind a lesson or two from you.”

Jacob turned red in the face then, poorly attempting to contain his laughter. Sean knew he’d hear about this later, and he wouldn’t be able to deny anything. Finn definitely just flirted with him.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

It was becoming harder and harder for Finn to keep his thoughts to himself when it came to Sean. He really wanted to let him move at his own pace. But everything that Sean did and said pushed Finn closer and closer to his breaking point. One of these days he was going to explode… Or push Sean up against a tree and kiss the shit out of him.

The thought of doing that made Finn take a shallow breath, forcing away the blush forming on his cheeks. He was Finn McNamara, and he definitely did not blush. Sean did though, a lot, and fuck if that wasn’t the cutest and sexiest thing Finn had ever seen…

“Someone on your mind?”

Cassidy’s voice ripped him out of his fantasies, and he cleared his throat before looking at her, hoping the blush was gone.

“Dunno what you’re talking about,” he responded.

“Sure, whatever you say,” she teased, shoving his shoulder playfully. He only laughed, enjoying the distraction from his Sean-consumed thoughts. Thinking about him all day only made his feelings worse.

Still, he found himself wondering what kind of art Sean did. Where he found inspiration, what drove him. He wanted to know everything there was to know about the boy who had stolen his heart without even trying.

“Can I ask you something?”

Cass was looking at him expectantly, and her tone was more serious than usual, so he nodded.

“What exactly are you gonna do about Sean?” she asked quietly. There was a hint of curiosity in her voice, mixed with concern. He didn’t have an answer for her though. He knew what he wanted: Make a move, take a shot, be with him. But Hannah’s words still replayed in the back of his mind.

_He will leave us all behind._

Shaking his head, he answered, “I dunno, Cass. But I like him. That’s all I know.”

She merely nodded, a smile on her face. But her eyes betrayed her, she was worried. Just like Hannah. Finn was worried too, but not enough to be smart about it.

He wanted to be with Sean. Even if that meant having to eventually say goodbye to him.

And he needed to tell him that. Soon.

………………………………………………………………………………………

“Hey, uh, Daniel?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you mean what you said earlier? When you said that you, uh… You know?”

The two brothers had slipped away from the camp earlier to do some training. Daniel was getting much stronger, and much more controlled too. It was impressive, but also really intimidating. Sean didn’t want to ever find himself on the receiving end of Daniel’s power. He shivered at the thought.

He’d been really surprised and flattered earlier. It was good to know that his little brother admired something about him. It made Sean feel less like an annoyance, and more like a big brother. He just worried that maybe Daniel was simply saying it to make him feel better. _I am way too fucking insecure, jeez._

“I did.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. You’re a really great artist, Sean.”

“Thank you, enano. I really appreciate it. You know, you’re a pretty great artist too,” Sean admitted. He wanted his brother to know that he had talent. That he could pursue it if that was what he wanted.

“Thanks, Sean,” Daniel said, his voice soft.

The two were silent but comfortable. They hadn’t really bonded like this much since their first night in Beaver Creek after Claire taught Daniel how to pray. At one point in the night, Sean had been half asleep, but he felt his brother curl up against him in his sleep. Daniel hadn’t done that again, since that night.

Sean would never admit it, but he missed it. He enjoyed it. It was good to know that Daniel found comfort in him. And Sean found comfort in him too. He needed his little brother. Daniel was his protector, and Sean was his.

They needed each other.

And at that moment, he felt closer to his little brother than he had in a long time.

“Hey, Sean?”

“Yeah, enano?”

One second. Two seconds. Three.

“Do you like Finn?”

_What?_

_Shit. Quick. Deny._

“What? No! What do you mean? Why would you say that? Daniel, no. Absolutely not. No.”

_That will totally convince him. Real fucking smooth._

“Oh.”

Daniel looked confused and deep in thought. Sean was trying not to lose his mind. He had no idea why Daniel would ask him that. He was freaking out, maybe he had been too obvious. _How would Daniel even feel about me liking Finn, a boy? Shit._

“Why did you ask me that?”

Another couple of seconds passed, the wind around them was picking up slightly. That was the only sound around them. Then he finally answered the question.

“I just, thought you did. Or maybe that he liked you. Or something.”

“But, why?” Sean pressed, really curious now.

“Well, he always calls you sweetie, or honey, or something…”

Sean felt himself smile, like a subconscious reaction. His brain seemed programmed to respond automatically to the nicknames he'd begun associating with a certain boy with dreadlocks. It threw him off, but in the best way possible.

“So? I’m sure he calls lots of people that.”

“But…” he started, before pausing suddenly.

“What is it, enano?”

“Whenever I went to visit my friends at school, their parents would always call each other those things. So, when Finn used it, I just assumed it meant something.”

_Maybe it does, enano. I wish I knew._

Sean sighed, unsure of how to respond. He hadn’t expected to be having this conversation with his brother, ever. It was stressful, uncomfortable, and confusing.

“Usually it does. But maybe Finn uses it all the time. With friends,” Sean suggested, the thought of being just friends with Finn making his stomach twist.

“Well, what if he means something? Do you like him?” Daniel asked again, his eyes awake with curiosity. Sean wondered when his brother became so thoughtful, so observant, and so invested in his love life. The entire situation was weird to him.

“Why are you asking these questions, enano?”

Daniel sighed, staring at his feet before admitting the truth softly.

“Well, whenever you liked someone back in Seattle, Lyla would always be the one to ask these questions… And she’s not here… I thought maybe, you needed someone else to talk to.”

And maybe Sean teared up a little at that. He had no idea when his little brother became so… sweet.

“Thank you, Daniel. That, uh, that means a lot to me. Really,” Sean responded finally, once he’d processed everything. And then there was a brief moment of silence, where the two brothers simply smiled at each other. It was nice. But Sean wanted to answer the question, so he did.

“I think I do.”

“What?”

“I think I… I think I like Finn.”

Sean closed his eyes, tears welling up in his eyes. He waited for the backlash, for the disgust. For his brother to be upset, think it was unnatural. He sifted through every possible outcome, every possible reaction. But he should have known better than that. After all, Daniel never failed to surprise him.

“Cool!”

“Cool?”

“Totally! Finn’s awesome, and you’re awesome too. The two of you together is like, double awesome!”

“Uh- “Sean tried to say something, but Daniel kept going.

“Plus, you’re always so moody- “

“Hey!”

“-But not around him. Like, ever. You’re always awkward around him- “

“I am not!”

“-But never moody. You’re always super smiley too! And if someone puts a smile on your face, surely that’s a good thing, right?”

Daniel really was full of surprises. He was so mature about it, but with that childhood innocence still intact. Sean could only shake his head and let out a little laugh, before finally saying something.

“Maybe. But, don’t tell him, okay? Can this be our secret for now?” Sean pleaded. His brother nodded vigorously, before practically yelling, “Absolutely! I’m the best secret keeper! This can be like, a top-secret Super Wolf mission! So cool.”

“Hell yeah! You rule, thank you.”

“No problem. All in a day’s work for Super Wolf.”

The wolf brothers shared a laugh together then. Sean felt a million times lighter, finally admitting it to someone. He’d just never expected that someone to be Daniel. But he wouldn’t want it any other way.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn hadn’t been in the mood to party much tonight. Sean and Daniel had run off somewhere together, and the rest of the group were having a good time around the camp. Finn needed quiet, so he grabbed a couple of beers and headed down the path.

He’d found a log to sit on, and sat there holding a beer in his hand. He wasn’t sure whether to drink it or not, so he sat there doing nothing instead.

Usually, he would be the first to kick back and relax. But he had a lot on his mind.

Sean. His brothers. His dad. His mom. His whole life, really.

He just needed one moment of peace, one moment of clarity. And the universe delivered.

He heard Daniel rambling on about something, and Sean grunting in response. The two appeared then, coming from around the corner. Daniel was sitting on Sean’s shoulders, the older of the two looking very displeased with that arrangement. Finn smiled without realizing it. Daniel saw him then, waving his arms around wildly and nearly losing his balance. This made Sean stumble, nearly losing his own balance. He walked clumsily, trying to keep upright with Daniel moving around like that.

“Hey, Finn!”

“Hey, little man. What’chu doin’?”

“Sean gave me a piggyback ride, my legs were tired,” the boy said, practically squealing.

Finn let out something alarmingly close to a giggle at the look on Sean’s face, before clearing his throat.

“Now don’t tire the man out now, he needs his legs too,” Finn teased. Daniel nodded, agreeing to be let down. Then he spat out a thank you to Sean, a goodbye to Finn, and then he was running back to the camp at full speed. _So much for tired legs._

Sean hadn’t really moved yet. He was still trying to catch his breath.

“Come on, my little Sean. Have a seat, have a beer,” Finn offered, holding a can for Sean. He smiled, accepting the beer before moving to sit next to him. Both of them took swigs of beer before Sean finally spoke.

“What are you doing out here all by yourself?” he asked. He was always so curious about everything. It was really more adorable than it should have been. But maybe that was because Finn was crazy about him.

“Ahh, jus’ needed some peace and quiet. Thinkin’ about shit, y’know?” Finn answered. But he didn't need to look for peace, not anymore. Sean’s presence brought him a sense of that already. But the boy nodded, assuming that he shouldn’t ask further.

Finn sighed.

“You ever think ‘bout going back to Seattle?”

He wasn’t sure where the question came from, but it was something he wondered about.

“Sometimes… I mean, I miss my best friend back home, Lyla. You would like her. And I mean, all my dad’s stuff is there. I kinda wish I could get some of it, just to have a part of him with me… Yeah.”

Finn nodded, urging him to continue, so he did.

“But I don’t think I would ever… I don’t think we could, even if we wanted to. I’d be thrown in jail, and Daniel would be forced to live with our grandparents. It isn’t an option.”

Finality. Sean had given this a lot of thought.

“I understand. Shit’s hard when you have so little options. And none of ‘em are ideal.”

Sean nodded, a faraway look on his face. Finn wanted to bring him back to the now, keep him away from overthinking. So, he took another sip of beer, cleared his throat, and closed his eyes.

“Y’ know, I was pretty lucky. My parents were okay, and I had three big brothers who spoiled me.”

“Aaaw, you were the baby boy,” Sean cooed.

Finn chuckled, shaking his head as he drowned in his own nostalgia. “Yeah, I was, like Daniel. My big brothers used to spoil me all the time. My dad too…”

Sean smiled at that, less distracted by his own thoughts now. So, Finn continued.

“But my family was… messed up. My dad, he was like… A front for hot cars,” he said, voice starting to shake. But he wanted to push through, to open up to him. He wanted Sean to know his story too.

“He’d steal, strip and sell ‘em. And uh… Me and my brothers helped him… Y’know, typical shit. Family obligation, I guess.”

Sean was now listening intently, his body angled towards Finn, leaning forward and supporting himself on his legs. He nodded, encouraging Finn to continue. Finn took a deep breath.

He had to get this out.

“Eventually, we got busted.”

Realization dawned on Sean’s face, but Finn kept talking. He needed to keep talking.

“The uh… Fucking feds, they wanted me and my brothers to testify. Against our dad. But, uh…”

Sean shifted closer, probably trying to comfort Finn in some way. But this was the hard part of the story.

“My dad… He narced on us instead.”

_Now he knows._

Finn was glad to have gotten it off his chest. Sean had been vulnerable with him, let him in that first night when he got here. Sean showed bravery and strength. He opened up to them. And now, it was Finn’s turn. And it felt… good. To let it out.

But he was also upset. He was going through all those feelings again. Reliving it all. Every moment. The fear he felt, the day the cops busted them. His brothers had tried to stall the cops, so he could run. But they all got caught. He felt the same anger he felt the day his dad narced on him and his brothers. The way he betrayed them.

And the sadness, he felt that again too. Being separated from his brothers by the cops. He’d never forget that day.

A warmth on his leg brought him back down to Earth. Sean had put his hand on his leg, tentatively. The simple gesture made Finn’s heart jump. He looked at Sean then, the boy who had his heart from the first minute. His heart jumped again, this time for no reason in particular.

“Damn, Finn… I’m so sorry. That’s fucked up… What happened?”

“Well, I went to jail. Served my time… When I got out, I was just… so angry. I was like, fuck EVERYBODY. And I hit the road, Jack…”

He paused, giving Sean a chance to process it. Then he continued.

“Anyways, I found a new family out here. A cooler one. Hannah, Cass, Penny, everybody…”

Sean nodded with a smile on his face now. Finn took a deep breath before he spoke again.

“And you and Daniel too. You guys, y’all are my family too.”

“Thanks, Finn. I consider you my family too. Daniel would agree to that… I think he likes you more than he likes me,” he said with a laugh. But his insecurity was noticeable, so it was Finn’s turn to lean over and place a hand on his leg.

Sean nearly jumped at the action, a blush quickly spreading from his cheeks down his neck underneath the collar of his hoodie. Finn pretended not to notice, hoping Sean would feel less uncomfortable that way. He moved to pull his hand away, but Sean stopped him. His hand quickly wrapped itself around Finn’s wrist, so Finn halted his movement. Then Sean placed his own hand on top of Finn’s, much like Finn had done that first night.

Their eyes met again, and for a second, Finn thought that he saw Sean’s eyes flicker down to his mouth, before flickering back up to his eyes. Finn smiled.

“I don’ think so. I think Daniel knows he’s got a kick-ass _hermano_. He loves you, sweetie,” Finn said. Sean only smiled back. _Fucking adorable._

“Maybe… Uh, Finn?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for telling me your story. I’m glad you trusted me.”

“No problem, sweetie.”

The two of them placed their cans down then, Finn could throw them in the trash later. After…

“Y’know… I’m really glad we met, Sean. I feel like we have a… strong connection.”

Silence. Sean froze, his body tensed. Finn panicked. He’d overstepped. He’d pushed too far. So Finn tried to play it off by saying, “Heh, That’s just me… getting obsessed over people I meet…"

Sean was still staring at him silently, a look of surprise on his face. Finn quickly added," "Sorry about that.” But he knew it was too late. He'd already said too much, and he couldn't take it back now. He didn't really want to take it back. So he waited silently for Sean to react, say something. 

Five of the longest seconds of his life. And then:

“I… I think I feel… the same.”

_Okay, guess I don’t need my heart then. It’s yours._

Finn leaned closer towards him then, their knees brushing against each other. He inched his left arm around Sean, slowly. He wanted to give him a chance to back away if that was what he wanted. But the boy stayed still, his eyes locked on Finn’s lips. His other hand was still covered by Sean’s on his leg. He moved his hand to take hold of Sean’s.

He only blushed before nodding slowly. So, Finn slowly laced his fingers through Sean’s.

“Is this okay?”

He needed to be sure. Sean nodded eagerly; that precious blush only deepening with every passing second.

_This is happening._

Finn had a lot of experience with sex and everything surrounding sex. But not this. Not holding hands. Not intimate eye contact. Not genuine fucking feelings.

Sitting there, that close to Sean, doing something as innocent as holding hands… It sent his heart soaring. The way their fingers were interlocked, perfectly comfortable, like they’d done it a million times before. Like their hands were designed to fit together. It was more than enough for him, but Sean started leaning in then.

Or maybe Finn leaned in first... He wasn’t entirely sure. But when their lips met, it didn’t matter anymore. Nothing else mattered at that moment. The only thing Finn cared about was Sean and the way those beautiful lips moved against his, slightly tentatively. His movements were uncertain, but Finn guided him. He wanted Sean’s first kiss to be as close to perfect as he could make it.

He took it slowly, allowing Sean time to get used to it, before pressing harder. Only slightly, and only for a while. When he moved to pull away, Sean leaned in further, chasing for more. Finn was happy to oblige, separating their hands to place his on Sean’s jaw, his thumb tracing circles on his pink cheek.

This moment was worth everything. It was worth the days spent pining and forcing himself to take things slow. It was worth the nights that Finn couldn’t sleep, too busy thinking about Sean. It was worth the risk of falling for Sean Diaz, only to have to say goodbye to him eventually. It was worth everything. It was... _everything._

The second time he pulled away slowly, his heart skipped a beat at the way Sean’s eyelashes fluttered as he opened his eyes. He was just so beautiful. This time, Sean didn’t chase him for another kiss, but he made no move to back away or leave.

Instead, he moved closer to Finn, leaning his head on his shoulder, their bodies as close together as they could be. Finn took the opportunity to wrap his arm further around the boy and placed a chaste kiss on his head.

And when Sean looked up at him, his soft brown eyes sparkling with something Finn couldn’t recognize, Finn knew that no matter what happened next, he would do anything to keep that look in Sean’s eyes.

And he knew that he was completely and utterly gone for Sean Diaz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EEEP!!!  
> I love them  
> Let me know what you guys thought, and how you all are feeling now that our boys have FINALLY taken the next step ;)


	10. Addicted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've officially changed the rating of this story to M now, in anticipation of future chapters. But no smut yet. Just a precaution :)  
> Enjoy the chapter.

_Holy shit. I… I can’t believe I actually did it. That was… Wow. I kinda wanna do it again._

Sean woke up the next morning, his lips still tingling at the memory of last night. Finn. The kiss. Finn. The hand-holding.

Finn.

It was quite possibly the single best experience of his whole life. He’d had his first kiss, and it had been with Finn. Finn McNamara. The tattooed boy who seemed so dangerous, but was the sweetest person. He’d been so… Patient. And tentative. And soft. It was…

_It was fucking perfect._

Daniel began to stir, bringing Sean back to the present. He was thankful for the fact that Daniel was asleep by the time he’d gone back to the tent. He and Finn had sat together, curled up against each other for what felt like hours. It was not something he ever pictured happening for him, and not with someone like Finn.

But Finn constantly surprised him, with his empathy and his vulnerability. And the way he shared his story, Sean couldn’t help but admire him for it. He’d gone through shit, and yet, he chose empathy and care over anger and destruction. It was amazing.

Finn was really too good to be real.

Daniel shifted again, his eyes fluttering open. _So much for being back in the present. Get a grip._

“M-morning…” Daniel mumbled, rubbing his eyes. He was definitely still half asleep. Sean leaned over and rubbed his hand through his little brother’s hair playfully, before getting dressed for the day.

He wondered what Finn was thinking. Did he regret it? Did he feel weird now? No… He couldn’t. He’d admitted his feelings, he liked him.

_Finn likes me…. And he kissed me… And I kissed him back…. And…_

_I want to do it again._

Sean smiled to himself. He knew he would have a hard time controlling his smile today. But he needed to, they needed to focus today. They had work.

He gave Daniel a few seconds to wake up, before telling him to get dressed. And they made their way to Big Joe’s truck.

Sean didn’t see Finn on the way to the truck, his eyes scanned the camp nervously. He wanted to see him again. But there was no sign of him at the camp. Only Ingrid and Anders seemed to be there still.

“Morning Sean,” Ingrid greeted sweetly. Sean waved and they headed over to the couple.

“You guys ready to head out?” Anders asked, gulping down the last of his coffee.

“Yeah, we’re ready.”

The four of them walked down to the truck, talking about nothing in particular. Sean didn’t hang out with them much alone, so he didn’t know them all that well. _Socializing is hard._

Still, they were nice enough to make conversation without it being awkward and forced. Sean was appreciative, and Daniel was quiet, still waking up mentally.

The group eventually got to the truck, Ingrid climbing on first, followed by Daniel and Anders. Sean climbed on last, finally seeing Finn. Daniel had already claimed the seat next to him, and Sean found himself feeling disappointed again. He hoped he’d get a chance to talk to Finn before work, or just sit next to him at least.

But Finn’s smile was enough to fix his mood. As Sean sat down next to Cassidy, greeting her and everyone else, Finn’s eyes never left him. And he did not mind that at all.

When he plucked up the courage to look in Finn’s direction properly, he was pleased to find him still staring.

Then Finn smiled again; a soft, sweet smile. Sean’s heart melted a bit. And then Finn winked at him, smirking and leaning lazily against the back of the truck.

_So sexy._

Sean shifted in his seat, clearing his throat but not losing eye contact. Finn looked pleased seeing the effect he had on him, his smirk morphing into a smile again. His eyes were still on Sean, but they were soft. Full of emotion. Sean gulped.

_Get a grip, dude._

Daniel tugged at Finn’s sleeve then, asking him a question, breaking the spell they were under. Sean took a deep breath, looking anywhere but at Finn. His display was apparently not subtle at all.

“What’s up with you Sean? You look nervous. You good?”

Cassidy was looking at him, with a look that said she was both teasing him and worried about him.

_Play it cool._

“Uh, yeah. Totally. I’m cool,” he said. But his voice was shaky, and he stumbled over the words. He was way too flustered to pass as cool.

And Cassidy knew this. She gave Sean a knowing look, eyebrow raised, before looking over at Finn, and then back at him. He tensed; afraid she’d ask about Finn. And she did, but not quite the question he was dreading.

“Those two are like peas in a pod, is Sean jealous?” she teased, with a little laugh.

_Yes… But probably not for the reason you think._

“Nah, I’m just… keeping an eye on him,” he answered. He didn’t want to explain why he was so preoccupied with Finn, not before he knew what everything meant.

“Big brother watching, I get it. So, how do you feel?” she asked. Sean wasn’t sure what she was talking about, so he just looked at her. She read the confusion off of his face, and explained, “How do you feel being here? With us misfits…”

“I… I actually feel free. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt like that… Thanks to you guys.”

“Hey now, no need to thank me. You’re the one that found us in the first place, and Finn’s the one that got you this job,” she said.

She was right. Finn had really hooked them up. He wasn’t sure if he’d thanked Finn enough for that. Would there ever be enough ways to thank him? Sean wasn’t sure.

He looked over in Finn’s direction again, and couldn’t control his smile then. He was waving his arms around and kicking his leg, probably telling Daniel a crazy story or joke. Daniel seemed to love whatever it was, listening intently while leaning on his elbows and laughing occasionally.

Sean loved to watch Finn around Daniel. The two were so similar, it was almost scary. But Finn was so good to Daniel, so sweet and supportive and patient. And Daniel loved him. It was one of the first things about Finn that made Sean fall for him. Daniel was and would always be his priority. So, to see Finn be so great with him, was really nice.

He tore his eyes away from them finally and started talking to Cassidy again. He could talk to Finn later, after work.

And maybe kiss him again…

_Definitely._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn liked to think of himself as a good worker. Even his parole officer had said that his work ethic was admirable. And Merrill seemed to trust him, which meant something. But today he wasn’t focused.

Today he was not a good worker.

He was clumsy, constantly dropping the scissors, cutting his hands, and knocking shit over. He was zoning out and messing up his tasks. Merrill even dragged him aside to yell at him. But Finn barely registered it.

His mind was stuck on Sean. That kiss.

_The best fucking kiss of my life._

He’d slept like a log the night before, his heart warm and content. And he’d dreamt of Sean, those lips, that damn wolf squad hoodie. He dreamed of kissing Sean again, against a tree, and in a tent, and in the lake, and behind Merrill’s office.

Every time Finn closed his eyes, he thought of Sean, and the way his lips felt pressed against his own. He craved that feeling again. He needed it. He needed Sean like he needed air.

It was totally uncharted territory for Finn, feeling so totally out of control with someone. Every time Sean looked at him with those big brown eyes, he felt like he was an awkward and inexperienced sixteen-year-old again. He’d kissed many people before but never like that. And he didn’t think he’d ever be able to again. He was ruined.

No one would ever be able to come close to that. Finn was nearly certain of it. And all thoughts of taking it slow nearly vanished when Sean chased that second kiss last night. He’d nearly picked him up then and there and carried him to his tent.

But Finn couldn’t be selfish with Sean. Finn couldn’t push him. Finn wanted Sean to feel comfortable, and safe. Finn wanted everything with Sean, even if that meant taking things at a torturous pace.

Sean was worth it.

When they got back to the camp, the group walked back to the tents while Daniel dragged Sean off in another direction, so Finn followed the rest of the group. He could find Sean later.

Penny and Hannah were sitting in the kitchen while Cassidy was off in the distance playing guitar. Finn decided not to disturb Cassidy and went to join the other two.

“Mind if I join?” he asked, sitting backward in the chair next to Penny.

“Sure,” Hannah responded, though she had a strange look on her face.

Finn didn’t ask, instead choosing to turn and talk to Penny. The guy was convinced that he’d heard some weird buzzing and that the cops were coming to shut down the farm. Admittedly, Finn wasn’t paying all that much attention, much like the rest of the day.

“Dude, what’s up with you today? You’re totally spacing,” Hannah asked questioningly. Finn shook his head and said nothing was going on, trying to play everything off, but he wasn’t exactly convincing about it. Penny piped in then too.

“You’ve been off your game today, man.”

Hannah nodded in agreement.

“No worries, guys. I’m cool, as always,” he drawled. He knew it wasn’t true, but he wasn’t sure whether he could tell them about the kiss or not. He didn’t want to make Sean feel uncomfortable, so he changed the subject. He managed to stay focused on the conversation for a while, until Penny called out, “Yo, Sean, Daniel, come over here!”

Finn tried not to turn his head to watch the two boys approach, but he couldn’t resist.

Daniel was running towards them, Sean lagging behind him looking really nervous. Finn tensed, suddenly not knowing how to act. He settled for offering the boy a smile, which he returned. _My sweetie._

“Hey guys,” Sean said when he got to the table.

The five of them spoke for a while, with Finn occasionally sneaking a glance over at Sean, who seemed to be doing the same thing. The thought of Sean staring at him made him shift in his seat, before clearing his throat.

“Uh, Sean, can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked casually, trying to hide his nerves from the rest of the group. Sean tensed in response, before nodding slowly and getting up. As Finn lead Sean away from the rest of the group, he caught a glimpse of Hannah’s face. She probably had some suspicions now. She’d always been smart. But he could deal with that later.

He looked over at Sean to give him a look of encouragement, and his shoulders sagged a bit at that.

_Time to talk._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

When Finn asked to talk to him alone, Sean started mentally freaking out. He didn’t know how to act, or what to say, or what to do. But he knew what he wanted to say and do.

_Focus._

They reached a small clearing in the woods, near the place Big Joe picked them up for work. The two of them had been walking in silence, but then Finn spoke.

“Hey sweetie,” he said, finally stopping to turn and face Sean.

“Hey,” Sean responded, feeling very much out of his element. _Just go with the flow, dude._

“We should probably talk about last night, right?” Finn asked, sounding very uncertain. Before Sean could form a response, Finn added, “I don’ really know how to do this shit… Not exactly my usual experience.”

That made Sean feel a lot better, and also extremely surprised. He was glad to know he wasn’t the only one that was nervous and unsure, but he wouldn’t have thought Finn felt that way.

“You don’t normally kiss a guy and then talk about it after?” he asked without thinking. Before he could apologize and take it back, Finn laughed.

“Nah, I mean I don’t normally kiss someone that I really like…” he finally admitted, still smiling, but his voice was tentative.

_Oh._

“You, uh… You really like me?”

“Well, yeah, sweetie. Told ya’ last night, I feel like we have a strong connection. I meant it. I really like you, Sean.”

His heart forgot how to work then. Finn really liked him… He actually had feelings for him. Sean felt himself blush, but he forced himself to speak.

“I, uh, I really like you too, Finn.”

The tattooed boy smiled at that, any signs of nervousness beginning to fade away.

“Y’know, Sean… Last night really meant a lot to me,” Finn admitted softly, taking a small step closer.

Sean sucked in a breath, shifting closer too.

“It, uh… It meant a lot to me too…” he said, his voice so soft it was nearly a whisper. But Finn heard him, taking another step closer and reaching out to take his hand. Sean let him, only praying Finn couldn’t feel his heart beating like crazy.

He looked down at their hands, locked together. He studied the tattoos on Finn’s exposed knuckles, resisting the urge to laugh at the word ‘PIZA’ marked across them.

Sean tightened his grip on Finn’s hand, taking a bold step closer while lifting his head to meet Finn’s eyes. _Those eyes._ They were so beautiful, so soft, so blue. They reminded him of the ocean, and Sean wanted to drown in them... To drown in Finn. Everything around them seemed to disappear, the trees only blurry shapes in the distance now.

“Finn,” he breathed. Finn quirked his eyebrow.

“Yeah, sweetheart?”

Two seconds. Deep breath.

“Can I… Uh… Can I kiss you again?”

He tried to cover up his nerves and keep his voice steady, but it was impossible. His heart was racing, and his face was burning, and his knees were wobbly. He might have nearly fallen over if he were a bit more socially awkward than he already was.

Finn only smiled softly, before basically whispering, “If you want, yeah.”

Sean licked his own lips, looking down at Finn’s. He did that a lot. Finn had his bottom lip caught between his teeth, and Sean wanted to do that to him. But he was frozen. He didn’t know what to do.

“You okay?” Finn asked, reaching his free hand and cupping Sean’s face like he had done last night. Sean released a shaky breath before admitting, “I’m nervous.”

Finn offered him a sweet smile, tilting his head before asking, “What are you afraid of?”

He was afraid he’d mess it up.

_Nah, Finn wouldn’t judge me. He’d guide me like he did last night._

He was afraid to get attached.

_Nope. It’s already too late for that._

He was afraid of getting hurt.

_But Finn won’t hurt me. I trust him. And he cares about me._

“Nothing,” he admitted honestly, before taking a final step closer and leaning in to kiss Finn.

Immediately, every doubt he had seemed to vanish. Every insecurity washed away as he felt Finn melt into the kiss, stepping closer and separating their interlocked hands so he could grab Sean by the hip. Sean’s hands moved of their own accord to cradle Finn’s face, his thumb absent-mindedly rubbing across the three triangles on his cheek. Finn released a shaky breath, pulling him closer and wrapping both his arms around Sean’s waist.

This kiss was different.

This kiss was deeper, more urgent. It was just... more. More than Sean could comprehend. And he wanted even more. He needed even more.

So, when Finn’s grip around him tightened, Sean released a breath before guiding him backward, more and more until his back hit a tree. Finn gasped, taken by surprise, and he kissed him harder. Sean stepped closer, not thinking, not hesitating, just looking for more. More of Finn. He craved the feeling of Finn’s body pressed against his, no room between them.

Eventually, he pulled back reluctantly, eyes still closed, savoring the kiss and enjoying the way Finn let out a shaky sigh. As he opened his eyes, they were met with Finn’s blue ones, now a much darker shade than usual. And Sean was definitely drowning now.

“I… I, uh, I’m so sorry, that was… I don’t know where that came from…” Sean admitted. He worried he’d been too forward. This was so far outside of his comfort zone.

Finn smirked, before gripping Sean’s hips harder, his fingers digging in slightly. Sean exhaled shakily, biting his lip. Then Finn leaned forward, putting his lips near Sean’s ear before whispering, “Not that I’m complainin’ or anything sweetie, but I imagined something more like this.”

Before Sean could react, Finn had switched their positions, and now it was Sean’s turn to be pressed up against a tree. He found that he quite liked it, pressed between Finn and a tree… Finn and any surface, really.

“Much better,” Finn whispered almost to himself, before diving in for another kiss.

Sean didn’t miss a beat, meeting him halfway with just as much enthusiasm. It was better than anything he’d ever imagined.

It was rough yet gentle at the same time, soft yet passionate, desperate yet patient. Sean loved every second of it. His body began heating up as Finn pressed closer and closer, the feel of his small frame covering him. He could die here and be happy. But more, he needed more.

Finn pulled back slowly after a while, a faint blush on his cheeks and a smile on his face, Sean knew that he had a huge problem.

He was addicted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhh... Young love, such a beautiful thing.


	11. Confidence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna start throwing in the ~spicy~ content soon, starting with a dash of spice in this chapter. If you have any issues with reading smut, lemme know. I'm still debating whether to keep this story M rated or bump it up to E. If you have a preference, feel free to comment down below.  
> Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Finn was intoxicated.

Sean had him under his spell. The memory of Sean taking control and pushing him against a tree still lingered in his thoughts, and his dreams. It had caught him off guard in the best way possible. He normally wouldn’t relinquish control like that, but with Sean, he was willing to make an exception.

He’d do anything for Sean. That much became apparent in the few days following their first kiss. Finn couldn’t get enough. He tried to keep things slow, but then Sean would look at him a certain way and before he knew it, he was dragging him away from the rest of the group for some more alone time.

It was probably raising some suspicions among the rest of the group, but Finn couldn’t bring himself to care when he was pressed up against Sean. Especially not when Sean was growing bolder by the day, taking matters into his own hands sometimes. He was still uncertain, and tentative, adorably so. It made Finn’s heart swell.

Right now, it was one of those times.

They’d been throwing knives with Daniel; Sean being concerned that he was neglecting his brother. Daniel didn’t seem to notice the amount of time they spent disappearing together, but it was better to be safe than sorry. The kid had gotten much better at it, his precision and technique improving with every lesson. Sean also seemed to improve over time, though he was more there to see Finn and Daniel in action than anything else. And to torment Finn, apparently.

That much was becoming apparent.

Since their kiss, Sean had been more confident around Finn, less uncertain than before. _Probably because he knows he has me wrapped around his finger._ Whenever it was Daniel’s turn and he was not focused on the older boys, Sean took the opportunity to give Finn these looks he’d never expect from the shy boy. Which is why they drove him crazy so easily. It was Finn’s turn to be a flustered mess around Sean, after weeks and weeks of flirting and teasing and enjoying the effect he had on him. This was his punishment… or his reward. 

Finn looked back at Sean, who gave him a seemingly innocent smile, but his eyes said something else. Finn gulped, suddenly feeling extremely hot.

_Both. Definitely both._

“Did you see that?” Daniel cried out, and Finn took a second to catch up to what the kid was talking about. He really needed to get a hold of himself, he couldn’t be feeling like this in front of Sean’s little brother.

“That was awesome, dude! Great job!” Sean praised, a genuine smile on his face while he ruffled his brother’s hair. The boy frowned, before laughing and going to fetch the knife. Finn wasn’t sure if he could handle another minute like this. He loved spending time with Daniel, but right now he was too preoccupied with a certain brown-eyed beauty.

“Hey, uh, Daniel. I think it’s time to call it a day, don’t you think?” Sean asked then, and Finn raised his eyebrow. _Can he read minds? That would be so dope._

The little boy seemed to consider his options for a minute, before he answered, “Yeah, okay. Are we going to… Uhm… _hang out,_ later?” He had a weird look on his face, but Sean seemed to understand whatever was going on so Finn didn’t say anything.

“Sure. Of course, enano,” he answered sweetly. The kid beamed, giving them both a hug before running off. Finn was happy to see that the brothers were on good terms these days. They seemed to be arguing a lot less than before. That was progress. But now he and Sean were alone. And the younger boy seemed very pleased with himself, a smile on his face.

Finn wanted to test how far this confidence would go, so he sauntered closer, a smirk plastered on his face. Sean’s cheeks started reddening, but he didn’t look nervous or flustered. This was a change of pace for them. And Finn found himself enjoying it, a lot.

“Wanted to get me alone, sweetheart?” he drawled, as he approached Sean. He wanted to test the waters and get a feel for how comfortable Sean was. Right now, Sean looked very happy to have gotten Finn on his own.

“Maybe,” he answered, keeping his voice steady and his tone teasing. Finn took that as a good sign, only moving closer. He reached a hand out to caress Sean’s cheek, pleased to see how he leaned into his touch. Sean’s movements were still tentative, due to his lack of experience, but Finn didn’t mind at all. He only smiled, before capturing Sean’s lips in a tender kiss.

The two of them spent more time kissing than breathing these days. It was as though they were trying to make up for weeks spent pining and longing for each other. Finn certainly was. And most of their kisses were innocent enough at the start, but things were speeding up. The kisses were heating up. Things were changing, and Finn could feel it in the way their kisses changed.

Finn vaguely registered the fact that Sean was pressing closer, his hands seemingly everywhere at once. Finn’s hands were settled around his neck, clasped together, and pulling him closer and closer. He could feel himself getting lost in the feel of Sean, and his control was slipping too. Sean’s hands gripped his hips and pulled him closer, pressing them against each other _there_.

And then it was like falling, blood rushing, heart racing. Too much, too fast, and Finn pulled away, trying to catch his breath and steady himself.

“Is everything okay? Did I, uhm… did I do something wrong?” he heard Sean ask, his voice raspy and breath still shaky. Finn gulped, trying desperately to regain control. He couldn’t lose it now. His pants were too tight and it was too soon and he needed to stop. He didn’t want to push too fast and scare Sean off, or pressure him.

So, Finn stepped back slowly, trying to readjust his pants subtly, not looking at Sean. He cleared his throat, taking a deep breath before saying, “No. Not at all, sweetie. You’re perfect. I just think we should slow down.”

Then Sean reached out and grabbed his hand, making Finn look at him.

_Big mistake._

Sean looked magical. His cheeks were a perfect shade of pink, and his brown eyes looked almost black. Finn had to take another shaky breath. He wasn’t exactly inexperienced, but it was much too soon for him to be feeling this way.

Sean smiled softly, nodding, and Finn pulled him in before wrapping his arms around him. They stood like that for a while, holding each other. This was enough for him. Until it was the right time, and Sean was ready.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“YOU DID WHAT?” Jacob practically shrieked. Sean covered his ears in an attempt to protect his eardrums.

“I kissed Finn. Well, I mean, he kissed me. But then I kissed him. And then I kissed him again,” Sean stammered, trying to hide his embarrassment. This was something he wanted to share with Jacob, who was quickly becoming one of his best friends.

Jacob’s jaw dropped, and Sean was about to speak again before he was cut off by Jacob yelling, “WHAT?”

_What happened to the quiet Jacob I used to know?_

Some of the other people at the camp gave them weird looks, and Sean glared at Jacob who apologized quickly.

“I’m sorry, guess I got carried away. When did this happen?” he asked, speaking at a softer volume this time.

“A few days ago,” Sean mumbled. Jacob frowned, but then he smiled.

“I knew something was up between you guys! Finn’s been smiling like a fool for days, no wonder,” he enthused. Sean blushed, unsure of how to respond. He’d caught Finn staring at him much more these past few days, and the attention was something he felt he could get used to. He just hoped they hadn’t been too obvious about everything.

“So, are you guys together now?” Jacob asked, a huge smile on his face. He was really a great friend, and Sean was thankful for him and his support. It helped make it easier to deal with how much he missed Lyla. But Sean didn’t know the answer to the question. He didn’t know what they were doing. Finn didn’t exactly seem like the labels-and-commitment kind of guy. Then again, he kept surprising Sean, so maybe…

_Do I want that? To be Finn’s… boyfriend._

The idea of having a boyfriend seemed totally laughable. He was on the run from the cops with his kid brother. And yet, here he was, in the woods, wondering if he and the guy he liked were dating. Was having a boyfriend even possible? Was there any point?

_Cut the pessimistic crap. You like Finn, and he likes you. That’s all._

But he found himself wondering… Could they be boyfriends? How would that work? What would Finn look like, as a boyfriend?

He played around with the words in his mind: Finn’s boyfriend. Sean and Finn. Boyfriends.

He liked the way it sounded more than he cared to admit.

Jacob noticed how silent he went then, so he said, “Hey, it doesn’t matter. You like him, and he’s definitely crazy about you. I’m just glad you guys have finally stopped dancing around your feelings.” Sean was appreciative of that, and Jacob was right. They liked each other, and that was all that mattered.

“Thanks, Jacob,” he said, patting his friend on the shoulder.

“No problem.”

They stayed silent for a while, watching Daniel follow Cassidy around like a puppy. He was still obsessed with her hair, and it seemed like he had a bit of a crush on her too. It was cute.

“So, Sean, can I ask you something?” Jacob asked, interrupting the silence.

Sean nodded.

“Is he a good kisser?” Jacob teased.

“Shut up,” Sean said, rolling his eyes at his friend before deciding to ignore the question.

_He is._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

After their earlier, Finn had rushed off to take a cold shower. Then he’d gone to hang out with Cassidy and Hannah for a while, trying to give Sean space to breathe. Cassidy asked questions about his sudden disappearances, but he played them off. He saw Sean and Daniel walking off together, probably to ‘hang out’as Daniel had said earlier. Finn was a bit curious, the two of them seemed to run off and disappear a lot. Then again, so did he and Sean.

“So, what’s going on between the two of you?” Cassidy teased. Hannah quirked an eyebrow, looking at Finn questioningly.

“Nothin’ you have to worry ‘bout Cass, we’re jus’ hangin’ out,” he answered, trying to keep his answer vague. He wasn’t sure how Sean felt about the entire camp knowing about them. But Cassidy and Hannah clearly didn’t believe him, they both knew him too well.

“Right, I believe that,” Hannah said, her voice dripping in sarcasm.

“Hans, what d’ya want me to say? I like him,” Finn finally said. He wasn’t sure what else to say. He felt deflated. All that he wanted was for his family to support him and be happy for him.

“We know that, Finn,” Cassidy said, sighing before continuing, “We’re just worried, that’s all.” Finn already knew where this conversation was going, and he didn’t want to have it again.

“I know, I know. Hannah and I talked about it, didn’t realize you two talked about it too,” he said. He wondered how much they talked about. But he was trying to recognize the fact that they had good intentions.

“Aren’t you worried at all, Finn? I mean, you’re going to have to say goodbye to him eventually. Are you prepared to do that?” Hannah asked. She and Cassidy both looked at him expectantly. Finn had expected this, he’d seen them both give him looks whenever he and Sean ran off together.

He knew from the beginning that he’d have to say goodbye, and he was okay with that. He’d been prepared for it. But he’d underestimated the way he’d feel about Sean, and those feelings had only grown since the two of them admitted that they liked each other.

And maybe Finn was starting to worry, about having to say goodbye. He wasn’t so sure that he’d be able to let Sean go anymore. Not after he knew what it felt like to kiss him, and hold him, and be with him. But he couldn’t let them know that.

“Of course, Hans. I’m jus’ enjoying the time that I can have with him. I really wanna be with him. Of course, saying goodbye will be hard. But I can handle it… I’ll have to.”

Hannah looked a bit apologetic then, seeming to realize how hard this was for Finn. Cassidy still looked concerned though.

“Well, what about him?”

Both Hannah and Finn were confused then, giving Cassidy matching questioning looks. She sighed, before elaborating, “I mean, you say you can handle it. But will Sean be able to?”

Neither Hannah nor Finn spoke. Hannah seemed to be deep in thought, and Finn was conflicted.

He hadn’t really thought about it, like that.

Sean had been on the run with Daniel for months. He’d been forced to say goodbye to every person that showed them kindness or helped them out. He’d even said that he was afraid to get attached to people anymore because it always ended in a goodbye.

_Shit._

“Think about it, Finn. This is gonna be hard on him too.”

She was right. Of course she was right. Finn felt a lump in his throat. He didn’t want to make things harder for Sean. He hadn’t even thought about the fact that Sean would have to say goodbye too. Immediately, Finn was wracked with guilt. He’d been selfish, only thinking about himself and how he would handle things.

Hannah reached a hand out to comfort Finn then, taking both him and Cassidy by surprise.

“I know what you’re thinking, but don’t. Sean made a choice too. You guys just have to talk about it, and figure it out together,” she said. Finn was pleasantly surprised by the shift in Hannah’s attitude. He squeezed her hand, giving both the girls a small smile.

“As long as you don’t hurt him, we’re cool,” Cassidy teased.

“Ouch, Cass. I thought I was your friend,” he said, mocking offense.

She only smacked him on the head playfully, before standing up.

“That’s enough for one day, you know what you have to do,” she said pointedly. Finn nodded, and she walked away, grabbing her guitar. Hannah stayed silent for a while, and Finn made no move to leave. He knew she had more to say, so he waited.

She finally said, “Listen, I’m sorry I’ve been so hard on you with this. I just worry that you guys will get hurt. Both of you.” She spoke softly, but Finn heard everything.

“I’ll be honest… I’m surprised, I thought you didn’t really like Sean,” he admitted. She sighed, pinching her nose. Finn quirked an eyebrow, leaning back in his seat and waiting for her explanation.

“I don’t not like Sean. I just don’t think he belongs here. Not a bad thing, nothing wrong with him. He’s just not cut out for this life. And he can leave anytime he wants.”

_Oh, you have no idea…_

Finn had forgotten that the rest of the group didn’t know the whole story behind why Sean and Daniel were out here. Only he and Cass knew, and probably Jacob by now. If Hannah knew, she’d know how strong Sean really was. But he still needed more in life, which was why he and Daniel were going to Mexico.

The thought of Sean leaving stung, but Finn pushed it away. They could talk about it later.

“I get it, Hans.”

She nodded, smiling slightly.

Sean and Daniel came back then, and Sean gave him a smile that made him forget everything for a second.

“Easy there, lover boy. You’re drooling,” Hannah teased, slapping his hand playfully. He laughed, trying to keep his eyes off of Sean. But it was useless when Sean looked at him like that.

As long as Sean kept looking at him like that, and smiling like that, Finn could handle anything.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

After their training session, Sean and Daniel re-joined the rest of the group. Daniel immediately ran over to see what Finn was doing, and Sean decided to take the time alone to think.

He sat down outside the tent he and Daniel shared and looked around. Finn was sitting under a tree, carving a piece of wood. Daniel was sitting next to him, watching intently. Cassidy was a little further away, playing guitar. Penny, Hannah, and Jacob were sitting around the kitchen table, while Ingrid and Anders were cuddled up drinking some coffee.

Sean really loved this place, and the people here. They’d welcomed him without question, and he’d be forever grateful to all of them. Even to Merrill, who willingly gave them work. Although he was a jerk, the job was what Sean needed to get on his feet again. Every cent counted.

Everyone here had helped him out in the beginning, showing him and Daniel the ropes. Jacob’s friendship was a huge help too, offering emotional support and a good laugh whenever Sean needed it. Even though he teased him relentlessly about Finn, which Sean didn’t mind that much anymore. He liked Finn, and he didn’t feel the need to hide that. Not out here with these people.

Finn had their back at work when Merrill was being especially harsh. Finn always had his back, that much Sean knew from day one. When Sean was down, Finn was there. When Daniel and Sean were drifting, Finn brought them back together. Even to the rest of the group, Finn was the glue. He brought these people here, got them all jobs, made them a family. And he was so good at making people feel okay, secure in themselves. That was why over time, the more time Sean spent around him, the more certain he felt about both himself and his feelings.

That was why this morning he found enough confidence to tease Finn like that. Sean really enjoyed seeing him flustered and worked up, it was really entertaining. _And hot._

And when Finn kissed him this morning, Sean felt no shame, no doubt, no fear. He knew that Finn was crazy about him, and he felt the same. But when things heated up between them, Sean felt something new, something that set his nerves alight. Sean could feel it, the warmth that coursed through him. He’d never experienced it, but he knew what it was. And when Finn pressed closer there, Sean felt it. Finn had gotten hard, and it was a reaction to Sean. He’d turned Finn on. He didn’t know if he felt more nervous, or powerful. A frightening combination of both, most likely.

But he didn’t have a chance to react, because Finn pulled away nearly immediately, looking delightfully flustered. Sean wished he had his sketchbook then, so he could capture the image forever. Luckily, it was burned into his memory forever. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to forget the slight blush dusted across the bridge of Finn’s nose or the way his eyes were so much darker than usual. He definitely didn’t want to forget the shaky breath Finn took as they separated or the small smile on his face as he tried to compose himself.

Sean was… curious.

It had all been extremely unexpected, but he couldn’t deny the disappointment he felt when Finn suggested they slow down. He’d been tempted to shake his head and pull Finn in for another kiss, but he decided against it. Taking it slow was for the best, for now.

Daniel had left Finn’s side now, choosing instead to talk Penny’s ear off. Sean chuckled, hoping Penny didn’t hate it too much, before looking over at Finn. He was so focused on the task at hand. His dreads were falling in front of his face, covering his eyes slightly. Every now and again, he’d huff in an attempt to blow them away from his eyes, but it didn’t work. Sean thought that was very possibly the second most adorable thing he’d ever witnessed – the first being Finn running around and playing with Daniel.

Finn looked good like this, huddled up under a tree, and barely noticing the world around him. It was rare since Finn was always on the move. But now Sean had a chance to really look at him, and he enjoyed it. He barely registered the fact that he’d brought out his sketchbook until he was holding the pen over the page.

Sean looked around at the group, and the woods around them, and then back at Finn. His eyes always went back to Finn. Then, he started to draw. Halfway through, Finn looked up at him through the curtain of dreads. Sean tried to act natural, but Finn had caught him staring. He didn’t mind though, striking a dramatic pose before winking at Sean and then getting back to what he was doing.

Sean’s pencil moved faster, while he barely seemed to look at the paper, only looking at Finn. Studying Finn, and how the sun setting behind the trees cast beautiful shadows on his face. Sean noted the tilt in Finn’s head and the tapping of his foot as he became frustrated with a piece of wood before chucking it out and grabbing another. _Adorable._

As he finished drawing, he saw a pair of shoes over the top of his sketchbook.

“Boo!” Cassidy shouted, nearly causing Sean to topple over. He tried to collect himself, while she giggled to herself.

“Man, you’re so focused when you draw… What’s got your attention?”

“Uh…” Sean started, but Cassidy continued before he could speak.

“Can I see?”

_Shitshitshitshit._

“Uhm, I dunno. I don’t really… show people my work. It’s… personal,” he tried to say, hoping he didn’t sound rude or suspicious.

“Well, that’s okay. It’s up to you. I’d like to see your art, I’m sure it’s great,” she said sweetly, before adding, “But it’s your choice, Sean.” She sat down across from him, holding her arms up to show she meant no pressure.

Usually, Sean wouldn’t mind, but he’d just drawn Finn. Finn. And that would seem really weird. But, at the same time, this group was weird. They were all really open-minded though, and Sean never felt judged or uncomfortable with them; which is why he reluctantly held out the book for her to take. She smiled gratefully, before grabbing it and scanning the page it was opened to.

Sean held his breath, waiting for her reaction.

“Oh, no way! That looks exactly like him! Fuck, you’re good, Sean. He would love it,” she complimented. She looked genuinely impressed, and not at all weirded out.

“Don’t you think that’s weird?” he asked. He hoped she wouldn’t think he was some freak that watched them all the time.

“Why would it be? Don’t overthink everything, Sean Diaz,” she said. Sean relaxed a bit, before she spoke again, “I could never draw like that. What’s your secret?”

He didn’t know how to answer that properly. He’d always just seen something, and thought ‘I wanna capture that’, and then he would. That had been especially important on the road since the good times never seemed to last. When something good happened, drawing it was a way to record the memory so it never truly felt lost. _Plus, years and years of practice._

“I guess I just… get inspired by the things I see and do… And, uh, being around people like you helps. A lot,” he answered, trying to be as honest as possible.

Cassidy tilted her head with a smile, before saying, “Hmm, looks like Finn does inspire you, huh!” Sean knew she was only teasing, but it still made his cheeks warm. He hated how easily he blushed.

Finn really did inspire him, with everything that he did. Even down to the way that he carried himself, with such confidence. Everything he did seemed so nonchalant... like nothing could bother him. But Sean knew him better than that. He knew that Finn could be phased by things. Sean had witnessed it first hand, his vulnerable side. He was human, and he could be hurt, and he was strong.

“Yeah… Watching him has taught me a lot,” he finally admitted. Sean knew it was an understatement, but Cassidy seemed to understand.

“Yeah, he… kind of has this, aura. You know, he... he found us this place, and helped us pull through. He’s… something else,” she said, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Sean understood that. He admired Finn too. Finn did a lot for the group but never seemed to ask for anything in return. All he wanted was to be surrounded by his chosen family, that was all. And Sean was honored to be a part of that family.

He was proud to be Finn’s family. Finn was his family too.

“Y’know, he really would love that,” Cassidy said, pointing to the drawing. Sean looked down at it properly for the first time then. It was one of his best pieces. Even he was impressed by himself. But it helped that the subject matter was practically a walking piece of art.

“You really think so?” he asked, not convinced. He didn’t want to embarrass himself.

“Absolutely, you made it. I think he’d like it no matter what,” she teased again.

He looked over at Finn then, who was standing up and stretching.

_Hmmm… Maybe._

“Wow, you really do like him, don’t you?”

“What, how did you-“

“You’re not very subtle, Sean Diaz… It’s alright, I don’t judge. I think he might be exactly what you need… And I know you’re exactly what he needs right now,” she said earnestly.

Sean smiled at that. Cassidy smiled right back.

_I think he is exactly what I’ve been needing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> If you're one of the readers that's been here since the very first chapter was posted, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSTANT SUPPORT!  
> Your comments are so so so uplifting and hearing about how much you guys enjoy each chapter truly makes my day and inspires me to write more and more chapters.  
> Love you guys!


	12. Boyfriend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the rating to explicit, so for those of you who wanted it, you're welcome ;)  
> Lots of ~spice~ this chapter, so enjoy!  
> I'm still new to writing in general, and writing smut in particular, so lemme know I did okay or not, I tried my best.

“Hey, uh, Finn? Can I come in?”

“Of course.”

It was extremely early in the morning, and Finn was surprised to know that he wasn’t the only one awake. He’d been about to go back to sleep when he’d heard Sean call out softly from outside his tent. Finn was wide awake now.

As he sat up, he could hear the zipper of his tent as Sean opened it and climbed in, nearly tripping over Finn’s feet.

“Shit!” he cursed, catching himself before he fell on his face. Finn couldn’t hold back his laugh.

“Hah, sorry sweetheart,” he drawled, holding out his hand to help steady the other boy. Sean eventually settled across from Finn who hadn’t thought to put a shirt on yet. A blush settled on his face as he noticed the tattooed boy's state of undress.

“Space Turd?” he asked curiously, his voice cracking slightly. Finn looked confused before following his gaze down to his own chest.

“Oh right, yeah. Just one of the many ridiculous tats I’ve gotten over the years. You like?” he teased. Finn didn’t mean for the question to have a double meaning, but something in the way Sean licked his lips as he nodded, never taking his eyes off of Finn’s pale chest, told him that he really did like what he saw.

Finn tried to keep his heart rate steady, as Sean raked his eyes over every inch of his exposed torso. He tried to ignore the way Sean’s eyes darkened, almost black now, only hoping that Sean wouldn’t notice the effect he had on him. Before things got even more intimate, Finn cleared his throat, hoping to talk to Sean before getting lost in him again. The sound ripped Sean out of the trance he seemed to be in, causing him to blush furiously before leaning back and shaking his head.

“I, uh…” he started, before clearing his throat and continuing, “I wanted to, uhm… to talk to you.” He seemed nervous, stumbling over his words in a way that was so adorably like him. _He is so fucking cute._

“What about?”

“Areyoumyboyfriend?” The words tumbled out of his mouth so quickly, Finn couldn’t understand them. Whatever they were, they were making Sean flush a delightful shade of red.

“Uh, sorry sweetie, I didn’t catch that…” he said softly, trying not to make Sean more nervous than he already seemed to be. Finn wanted Sean to be comfortable around him, there was nothing to be afraid of out here with him.

“I… I wanted to know if… if… if you’re my _boyfriend,_ ” he said, mumbling the last word so quietly that Finn almost missed it. But he didn’t, he heard it.

Finn had hoped that he’d be able to talk to Sean about everything else first before they had this conversation. Finn had thought about this very conversation, several times. He’d hoped for it, actually. But there were so many other things to think about... and talk about. But Sean was looking for an answer, and Finn never wanted to disappoint him. _Guess it’s time to talk._

“Listen, my little Sean, I’ve never really… done the whole label thing,” he started, but then he saw the look of disappointment flash across Sean’s face so he quickly continued, “But, if it’s with you, and that’s what’chu want, then yeah, I can be.”

He meant it. He would love to be Sean’s boyfriend.

And Sean seemed pleased with it too, flashing Finn a toothy grin before asking, “Are you sure?”

Finn was about to say yes, but then he realized that they still needed to have another conversation. So, he said, “Of course I am, but I think we should talk about something else first…”

Sean looked confused, but he nodded, eager to hear what was on Finn’s mind.

“I’ve been thinking a lot, about how you and Daniel are heading to Puerto Lobos,” he said, and Sean’s face dropped, almost as though he’d completely forgotten about that.

“Right… yeah, Puerto Lobos,” he muttered, not looking too excited about the topic. But Finn needed to push through.

“I’m not tryin’ to say that you shouldn’t go, I’d never ask you that. Although, it’d be cool if you and Daniel… stayed here with us,” he admitted softly. Sean looked up then, a look of surprise on his face.

“Really?”

“Yeah… I mean, I know it’s not part of the plan, but a guy can dream, right?”

“Right…” Sean said, his voice soft, and he sounded like he was deep in thought.

“Listen, for weeks before I told you how I felt, I thought about the fact that you’d be leaving us… leaving me. And I didn’t know if I’d be able to say goodbye,” Finn said, his voice cracking a bit, but he continued, “But I took the risk, and I don’t regret it or nothin’… but I’m worried ‘bout you, Sean.”

Sean’s face showed a mixture of relief and confusion, and he asked, “Why?”

“Well… you’ll be leaving here, and it’s hard enough to say goodbye to people already… I don’t wanna make shit harder for you.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, so it’s your choice, Sean. Whatever you decide, whatever you want.”

There was a moment of silence before Sean spoke.

“I want you.”

_What?_

“What?”

“I want you… I want to kiss you and I want to be with you. We can… deal with the rest of the shit when the time comes, okay?” 

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, Finn.”

Finn’s heart jumped out of his chest then, and he quickly thought about what to say next. Then it came to him.

“Alright, sweetie. Lemme just, do this right.”

He turned to face Sean, and grabbed his hand, leaning closer.

“Sean, do you wanna be my boyfriend?”

Sean was completely silent, and Finn panicked internally. _Was that right? Is that how they do it?_ He’d never asked that question before, never gave it a thought, before Sean. Finn wasn’t even entirely sure how to go about asking that question, but before he could try again, Sean was squeezing his hand.

Their eyes met, and Sean nodded, his eyes watering a bit. Finn was sure his eyes were too, but he couldn’t think of anything else besides how absolutely lucky he was. All he could think to do was to lean forward and capture Sean’s lips in a kiss. Finn tried to put all the words he didn’t know how to say in that kiss. And Sean matched him in intensity, not missing a beat, ready to fall into him just as quickly.

It was weeks of longing, and sneaky looks. Weeks of uncertainty, and new feelings, and sneaking around in the woods. Everything. All encapsulated in a kiss that would ruin Finn forever. He was sure that it didn’t get better than this. This was it for him. If he died today, he’d die a happy man. Because he knew what it felt like to kiss Sean with everything in him and be kissed back with the same eagerness.

It was overwhelming, and Finn was falling and burning and tingling. His heart was pounding, he was sure Sean could feel it. And it was all for him. Finn’s heart was in Sean’s hands, it had been from the very beginning.

Sean wrapped his arms around Finn’s neck, pulling him closer. Finn was clutching at the fabric of Sean’s hoodie, desperately trying to pull him nearer. He didn’t want any space between them, nothing could keep them apart anymore.

Sean was moving closer still, and Finn’s head was feeling extremely light. Every ounce of blood in his body was rushing South, making his jeans too tight, too uncomfortable. But he couldn’t stop, and he didn’t want to. Instead, he started pushing Sean backward until his back hit the ground gently.

The younger boy didn’t seem to mind, pulling Finn with him by the shoulders. Finn fell willingly, only catching himself so he didn’t crush Sean. Sean was pulling his face closer, but Finn quickly pulled back to ask, “Is this okay?” His tone was strained and he barely had enough air to get the words out, but Sean nodded ferociously, muttering a ‘yes’ before surging up to kiss him again.

That was the green light for Finn, and he kissed him with all the power that he had. It was perfect, beyond perfect even. Sean’s arms were pulling him down, closer, tracing over the tattoos that covered most of his body. That was enough for Finn to lose the last of his restraint, not thinking with his brain anymore. His fingers brushed the hem of Sean’s hoodie, inching it up slowly before sliding his hands up Sean’s chest.

The tan boy shuddered, head falling back and Finn dived in to kiss his neck. Sean seemed to like that, letting out a gasp. His hips stuttered up, and Finn could feel it then. Sean was hard, Sean wanted him like he wanted Sean.

“F-Finn,” Sean whispered, his voice absolutely wrecked, and it was the most torturously beautiful sound Finn had ever heard. He leaned up again, desperate to meet Sean’s lips again.

Finn rolled his hips once, tentatively, and Sean let out a brazen “Fuck,” before slapping his hand over his mouth. Finn didn’t have the power to take his hand away, too wrapped up in the sensation. He squeezed his eyes shut, the sight of Sean in that state too much for him to handle. He rolled his hips again, and again, and again.

“Shit, sweetie, I – _ah-_ “

“Sean?”

_Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck._

Daniel’s voice made the two boys jump apart, scrambling into opposite corners of the tent.

Finn desperately tried to catch his breath.

_Dead grandmas. Clowns. Merrill. Big Joe. Merrill and Big Joe, naked._

That did the trick. Finn felt his pants loosen slightly. Then he looked over at Sean, and _nope, I’m still hard._ Sean was flushed red, panting and sweating and his hair looked way too messy to seem normal. His eyes were completely black, and his lips were red and puffy from the kiss.

For a moment Finn envied Sean’s ability to capture images on pen and paper. If he could, he’d be grabbing a notepad of his own right now to record this forever.

Sean cleared his throat, standing up and trying to adjusting. Finn could see the noticeable bulge at the front of his jeans, and he gulped, trying hard to deal with his own raging problem. Sean ran a hand through his hair in a desperate attempt to make it look presentable, straightening out his clothes again and taking a few deep breaths.

Then, without looking back at Finn, Sean rushed out of the tent, zipping it closed behind him

“I’m here, Daniel,” Sean called out, walking away from the tent.

_Shit._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sean couldn’t get out of there fast enough. He had no idea what had gotten into him. But he couldn’t find it in himself to care when Finn kissed him that way. But he had no regrets, none except the fact that Daniel had interrupted them.

_Fuck._

“There you are, we’ve been looking all over for you,” Jacob called out, leaning against a tree next to Daniel.

“Hey guys, uh, sorry, I was talking to Finn,” Sean explained, hoping he wasn’t blushing any more.

Daniel didn’t seem suspicious, but Jacob quirked an eyebrow, giving Sean a look that said ‘Just talking?’ which Sean only rolled his eyes at.

“Come on, Cassidy made coffee for everyone,” Daniel enthused, before running off to the rest of the group.

“So… Talking includes messing up your hair and clothes?”

“What?” Sean panicked, frantically running his hand through his hair again.

“Well, you look like you just ran a marathon. Did you run a marathon?” Jacob teased, a knowing look in his eyes.

“No…” Sean muttered, kicking at the ground.

“Did Finn run a marathon?”

“What?”

Jacob was looking past Sean, in the direction of Finn’s tent. Sean whipped around to see Finn climbing out of his tent. He felt his skin tingle where Finn’s hands and lips had been. If he looked anything like Finn right now, then he could understand what Jacob meant.

Finn’s clothes were straight, and his hair looked the same as it always did, but everything else about him gave him away. His cheeks and nose were still red, and he looked like he was in a trance.

Jacob chuckled, and Sean turned to face his friend slowly, grimacing before saying, “Uhhh… I can explain.”

“Oh god, no need. I don’t need to know the details,” Jacob laughed, and Sean was definitely blushing again.

“So… I assume you two figured things out?”

Sean had nearly forgotten about that. They were together now. Finn was his boyfriend. He had a boyfriend.

“Yeah… We’re kind of, together, now,” he mumbled, loud enough for Jacob to hear.

“Holy shit Sean! I’m so happy for you!” Jacob pulled him in for a hug, and Sean froze. He’d never hugged Jacob before, not properly at least. It was really nice. He let his arms wrap around his friend, his heart clenching as he realized just how happy he was.

They pulled apart, wearing matching smiles.

“Well, let’s not keep your boyfriend waiting,” Jacob teased, before dragging Sean to the kitchen to meet up with the rest of the group.

“Morning guys,” Jacob greeted cheerfully. At the same time, he not so gently nudged Sean towards the open chair next to Finn.

Sean glared at his friend, sending him a mental _I hate you_ , before taking a seat next to Finn who was watching him silently, a smirk on his face.

“Hey guys, what’s up,” Sean finally said, once he found his voice. Daniel gave him a small smile, before starting on some story that he wanted to share with the group. Everyone was gathered around the table, something that was rare, but Sean quite enjoyed it.

These people were his family, and Sean had grown to love them all. But today he was distracted by Finn, who had slid his chair closer and had casually thrown his arm over the back of Sean’s chair. The action in itself wasn’t new to the rest of the group, but it was new to Sean as Finn’s boyfriend.

_Boyfriend._

He looked over and smiled at Finn, who smiled back dreamily before turning to listen to Daniel. His fingers were now tickling the ends of Sean’s hair at the base of his neck. Sean resisted the urge to lean his head back into Finn’s hand or to place his hand on Finn’s thigh. He wasn’t quite ready to announce their new relationship to the entire group all at once.

_Baby steps._

This was nice. This was really fucking nice.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“So… You and Sean seemed extra loved up this morning. What’s up with that?” Hannah asked.

The group had spent the morning hanging out together, but everyone had separated now. Sean and Daniel were MIA again. Jacob was with Ingrid and Anders near the kitchen. Penny and Cass were arguing over some theory Penny had come up with at breakfast.

Hannah had followed Finn over to the pit where they normally set up a campfire.

“What d’ya mean, Hans?”

He really needed to ask Sean how he felt about them telling people what was going on between them. But he knew he couldn’t lie to Hannah; she was too smart for that shit. Plus, he trusted her to keep it a secret if need be.

“Well, you just seemed way more happy than usual at breakfast, so did he. I figured something must have happened, so spill.”

Finn always loved how straight to the point Hannah was. People these days had a bad habit of wasting time trying to beat around the bush constantly, whereas Hannah told it like it was.

“Always so observant, Hans. You ever consider being a spy, or detective, or some shit like that?” he teased, hoping to distract her enough for her to stop asking questions.

“Nice try Finn, what’s going on?”

“Fine, fine, you win. Sean and I are together now, Hans,” he finally admitted. It felt extremely weird to say it out loud, but it felt good all the same.

“What do you mean, together?”

“I mean like, boyfriends… He’s my boyfriend.”

“No way! Did you just say the word boyfriend? You?” Hannah teased, genuine surprise in her voice.

“Yeah, Hans, I did,” he said softly.

He trusted Hannah with his life, and it felt good to finally tell someone what was going on. Finn wanted to shout it from the rooftops for everyone to hear.

_Sean Diaz is my boyfriend._

But for now, telling Hannah was enough.

“Wow. I mean, congratulations Finn,” she patted him on the shoulder, before continuing, “I mean, I’m surprised, but I’m happy for you.”

“Thanks, Hans.”

They were silent for a while, Finn was really thankful that Hannah was being supportive, but he needed to be cautious.

“Uh, Hans, could you maybe not say anything to anyone yet?”

“Why? City boy not wanting all the other dirty hippies to know he’s dating one of them?” she teased, but her voice wasn’t menacing at all.

“Nah, jus’ haven’t talked to him about it yet. Dunno how he feels ‘bout everyone knowing,” Finn explained.

“Well, that’s cool. I won’t say anything. But, uhm, Finn?”

“Yeah Hans?”

“Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean-“

“I know what you mean Hannah, and I’m sure. I talked to him ‘bout it already.”

“But-“

“Please, Hans, just… lemme have this,” he pleaded.

She sighed, before finally saying, “Okay, Finn. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

_No clue, at all._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“So you and Finn are… boyfriends?”

“Yeah, enano. We are.”

“Cool.”

The conversation was short, but Sean wasn’t surprised. They’d already discussed this before, and Daniel showed no signs of confusion, disgust, or doubt when he first broached the subject. All Sean did today was tell him, and that was that. He was grateful that he didn’t need to explain anything to Daniel, he didn’t know how he would go about doing that.

Instead, they just continued with Daniel’s training like nothing had changed. But everything had changed. Sean had changed. For the better.

He was genuinely happy, for the first time in a very long time. There was no doubt in his mind. Yes, saying goodbye would hurt. But he would push through, he always did. It would hurt whether they made things official or not, so he figured there wasn’t really anything to lose.

_Finn is my boyfriend._

A little while later, Daniel asked to go back to camp, he was too tired to train any longer. Sean happily obliged, eager to get back as well. The two brothers headed back, and Daniel turned to ask, “Are you coming to bed, Sean?”

Sean looked over at Finn, who nudged his head towards his own tent before disappearing into it.

“I’ll be there soon, enano. You go ahead, I’ll catch up a little later.”

“Okay,” Daniel said, before running off to their tent.

Sean walked over to Finn’s tent, unzipping it before climbing in and zipping it closed again.

Finn was leaning back on his elbows, looking far too inviting for it to be legal.

“Hey sweetie, missed you today,” he drawled, sitting up straight and pulling Sean closer for a chaste kiss. It was so unlike the one this morning, but it set Sean on fire just the same.

“Hey, uh, Daniel’s gone to bed, I told him I’d join him later,” Sean explained.

Finn nodded, answering, “No worries, just wanted to say goodnight.”

Sean’s heart jumped.

Before he could stop himself, he was leaning in for another kiss. Finn kissed him back.

Sean could kiss Finn forever if the world would let him. But the world wasn’t that kind.

“Y’know, if you keep kissing me like that, I might think you wanted us to pick up where we left off this morning,” Finn drawled, teasing Sean. But the look in his eyes told Sean that he desperately wanted to, so Sean did what he knew best. He kissed Finn again.

And suddenly, he was on his back again, and Finn was kissing him like they’d been doing this morning.

It was beyond amazing, feeling Finn on top of him like that. He’d imagined this moment so many times, since the other day in the woods. He’d tried to imagine what it would be like, but his imagination couldn’t compare to the real thing. Not even in his wildest dreams would he ever be able to capture the feeling of Finn’s lips as he moved from kissing Sean’s lips, to kissing his cheek, to his jaw, and then his neck.

_Holy shit, this is actually happening._

“Fuck, Sean, you don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to do this,” Finn whispered, grinding his hips against Sean's slowly, dragging a painfully loud moan out of Sean.

“Shit, F-Finn, I- _oh_ \- “he was cut off when Finn rolled his hips again, harder this time.

“What do you want me to do?” Finn asked. His voice was so strained, Sean nearly lost it.

“I- I don’t – _fuck_ – I don’t know,” Sean stammered, his brain wasn’t functioning anymore.

Finn pulled back a little bit, pausing before asking “Want me to stop, sweetheart?”

_No. Please. Don’t._

Sean could only shake his head.

“Want me to touch you?” Finn asked, his fingers grazing the top of Sean’s jeans.

_Yes. Fuck._

Again, words failed him. He could only bring himself to nod his head, lifting himself a bit to kiss Finn again.

Sean felt a pressure on his crotch then, looking down to see Finn palming him over the fabric of his jeans. It was almost enough to end him, right then and there. _Almost._

Finn unbuttoned his jeans then, and Sean slowly lifted his hips so he could pull his jeans down.

_Shit, I don’t know what to do._

“Are you sure this is okay, sweetie? We don’t have to go further than kissing,” Finn started.

“NO!” Sean blurted out, before covering his mouth again. He didn’t want to sound desperate. Finn only chuckled, before kissing him again, fingertips gripping the waistband of Sean’s underwear. As if it were possible, more blood rushed down to Sean’s crotch, and he leaned back on his elbows to try and catch his breath.

Finn was biting his lip, his eyes now dark pools of lust, and adoration. Sean lifted his hips again, and Finn pulled his underwear down next.

Instantly, Sean flushed from head to toe. He’d never been this exposed to anyone ever, except maybe to his dad when he used to bath him…

_Not the time. Not the fucking time._

Finn was staring at his dick like it was the most beautiful thing in the world. He moved to cover himself up, but Finn only grabbed his wrist gently and shook his head, before wrapping his hand around it.

“ _Shiiit_ ,” Sean moaned, immediately dangerously close to exploding. He tried to think of anything that would make him less turned on, anything to make this last longer. But then Finn’s thumb brushed over the head of his dick, and he was right back to losing it.

“Finn,” he gasped, trying desperately to cling onto the last of his self-control. Finn smiled at him, giving him another soothing kiss before his grip on Sean’s cock tightened and he moved his fist up slowly, drawing another moan out of him.

His hand was now moving up and down Sean’s dick at a steady pace that had Sean tumbling closer and closer to the edge. Sean tried desperately to swallow down the noises threatening to escape him, clenching his teeth.

“S’okay, sweetie, jus’ don’t get too loud, don’t wanna wake everyone up… You’re so sexy,” Finn whispered, and Sean couldn’t hold back the moan that he let out then.

“Shit, I- can I suck you off?” Finn asked quietly, hand moving faster, his grip tighter. It felt like heaven.

“Yes, please… please, Finn I – _ohfuck_.“

He was interrupted when Finn leaned down and licked the tip of his dick.

Finn let out a soft laugh, kissing the head before taking him into his mouth. Sean was so hard it hurt, he was ready to come and it had only been a few seconds. He felt Finn’s tongue flatten out, licking a stripe up the shaft before sucking on the tip. It was too much, too good, and Sean had to bite the back of his hand to keep from moaning too loud. He didn’t want the rest of the camp to hear him. But then Finn took his hand and placed it on his head, and started bobbing his head up and down eagerly. Sean couldn’t control himself then, his grip on Finn’s head tightening.

Finn let out a moan when his lips reached the base, sending vibrations through Sean’s dick that had him crying out. The tattooed boy continued bobbing his head up and down, picking up the pace and Sean almost passed out. Then, Finn looked up at him, his dick still in his mouth. Their eyes met and that was it for Sean.

“I- Finn I’m- “Before he could get the words out, he was tumbling over the edge. His eyes rolled back and his back hit the floor. He held Finn’s head down, as his hips bucked up uncontrollably as he came in Finn’s mouth.

Finn didn’t seem to mind at all, eagerly swallowing it all before lifting his head to look at Sean.

_Holy fuck._

Finn licked his lips slowly, before smiling, his eyes wild with lust and his face completely red. His dreads were completely out of place. Sean thought that if it were humanly possible, that sight alone would have made him hard again.

He leaned back, desperately trying to catch his breath. He’d never been so turned on in his life, and he’d definitely never felt that good before.

“Damn, Sean. That was so fucking hot, shit,” Finn whispered, his voice cracking a bit before he leaned down to kiss him again.

Sean was too tired to keep up, only giving him light kisses, which Finn didn’t seem to mind. Eventually, Finn sat up again, now on his knees.

“Do you, uh, want me to- “

Sean could see that Finn was extremely hard, the front of his pants was tented still, so he reached out to rub his hand over the bulge. Finn nearly buckled over at the contact, not prepared for the feeling of Sean touching him.

“You don’t have to. We have time, I don’t– " He was cut off by his own moan as Sean squeezed him tighter through his jeans experimentally.

“I want to… Can I?”

“Shit… sweetie you know I can’t say no to you – _fuck_ – but Daniel’s waiting for you,” he tried to say, his voice wrecked beyond belief.

Sean didn’t want to stop, but he knew Finn was right. He’d told Daniel he’d be there soon.

“Next time, then?” he asked, squeezing him tightly again, enjoying the way Finn squirmed under his touch.

“Don’t tease me… _please_ ,” Finn whimpered.

Sean enjoyed seeing Finn like this, so needy. It almost made him hard again, but he shook his head quickly and sat up to kiss Finn properly then. Finn met him with more urgency than ever before. Sean pulled away, not wanting to make things harder for Finn – literally.

“So… next time?” Finn asked, eyes still clenched shut. His voice was still raspy.

Sean chuckled, kissing him on the cheek, before saying, “Definitely, I promise.”

Finn let out a shaky breath at that, kissing him on the nose before whispering, “G’night, Sean.”

“Goodnight,” Sean whispered back, before climbing out of the tent.

Before walking to his tent again, he sighed and covered his face with his palms.

_That was the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced._

He couldn’t wait for next time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *fans self*  
> Is it just me or did it get ten times hotter in here?  
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)


	13. Confessions

The next morning Finn left his tent to find Sean, Penny, and Cassidy at the kitchen table drinking coffee. He made a beeline for the trio.

“Mornin’ sleepyhead,” Cass teased as she saw him approach. Sean and Penny turned towards him then. Penny raised his mug in greeting, before continuing with whatever theory he was on about today. Sean smiled at him, patting the open chair next to him.

Finn took a seat next to Sean, moving his chair closer and leaning his arm across the back of his chair like he’d done the day before. Sean only smiled at him and moved his own chair closer before returning to the conversation.

He took the opportunity to admire his boyfriend. That shaggy hair that Finn was dying to rub his hands through was growing longer by the day. Sean looked good like this, relaxed and with a coffee in his hands. He wasn’t worried about anything, just enjoying the moment. Finn craved for more moments like these. He couldn't resist the urge to scoot even closer to Sean. For once, Sean wasn't tense or shy about being around Finn like this with the rest of the group there to see it. Finn wasn't about to complain. 

Apparently, his blatant staring paired with how close the two of them were sitting now was enough to raise some suspicion.

“Uh, when did this happen?” Cassidy asked, pointing at the two of them.

“When did what happen, Cass?” Finn drawled, subtly pulling his arm back slightly but Sean lightly grabbed his wrist to stop him.

He looked to his boyfriend then, who showed no signs of discomfort, a smile on his face. Finn’s shoulders sagged in relief, smiling right back.

“Wait, are you guys – “Penny started, seeming to catch up with the conversation.

“Yeah, we’re together,” someone said, and for a minute Finn thought he’d said it, but was surprised to realize that it was Sean. _Guess you’re just full of surprises, sweetheart._

“That’s dope. I was wonderin’ when it’d happen,” Penny said, surprising both Sean and Finn. Although, when Finn thought about it, he’d never really tried to be subtle.

Cassidy didn’t say anything, and her expression was hard to read. She gave Sean a small smile, but then nothing. _Wonder what’s up with that…_

“Morning guys,” Jacob greeted, walking up to them with Daniel following behind him.

“Morning Jacob, hey enano,” Sean greeted, ruffling Daniel’s hair before standing up to talk to Jacob. Daniel took the now empty seat, turning to Finn. It was then that Finn noticed the boy’s red bandana tied around his neck, matching the one that he wore around his own neck. He’d known that the kid admired him, for some reason, but this was so adorable Finn had to keep himself from gushing.

The Diaz brothers really brought out the mushy side of him, and he hated and loved it at the same time.

“You like my bandana, Finn?”

“Hell yeah, little man, it looks so dope! And look, we match now,” Finn said, patting the kid on the shoulder.

“Yeah, we do. We’re totally awesome.”

“What about me?” Sean asked, him and Jacob re-joining the rest of the group.

“You’re still cool, sweetie,” Finn said, reaching out to grab Sean’s hand. Jacob smiled, noticing the small action before walking over to pour himself some coffee. Sean smiled too, stepping closer to lean on Finn’s shoulders.

“Yeah! Sean’s the coolest!” Daniel enthused, making Sean’s smile even wider. This was what Finn loved to see. Two brothers supporting each other... Family. He could only hope that things between them would stay good. Sean was much happier when he and Daniel were in a good place, and the two of them fighting took its toll on him.

Finn really missed his own brothers. It had been so long since he'd seen any of them... But he had his family right here, and that was all he needed.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

After this morning, Sean felt like he was ready to take on the world. It had been a great time, most of the group spent the time just talking and goofing around, and most of them finally knew about him and Finn being together.

After that, the group dispersed. Finn and Daniel ran off to do something together, probably something to do with knives. Sean was tempted to tag along, still fighting his instinct to protect his little brother from every single thing. However, he noticed Jacob walking off on his own, so he followed him.

"Hey, Jacob,"

The boy looked lost in thought, only slowing down slightly to match so Sean could catch up to him.

“Are you okay?” Sean asked, before adding, “You seem… distracted.” Jacob only sighed, shaking his head slightly. Sean was about to say something more, but Jacob beat him to it.

“You know… I’m really happy for you, Sean. You and Finn, you guys are cute together,” he said quietly. Jacob sounded sincere, but also kind of sad.

“Thanks, Jacob,” Sean said.

They walked in silence for a while, finally reaching a clearing in the woods where Jacob sat down under one of the trees. Sean followed suit, trying not to think of the day he pushed Finn up against one of these trees.

“I kind of… envy you guys.”

_What?_

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… you guys are lucky that everyone here is so accepting, so open-minded,” he explained, his voice trembling a bit.

“Oh, well, um, yeah I guess we are…” Sean said, not fully understanding where the envy came in. Jacob picked up a stone, playing with it for a while before tossing it aside again. Sean became concerned, not used to his friend being this quiet.

“I have a confession…” he started, before sighing and dropping his head to his knees, his shoulders shaking.

“What is it?”

“I… I… uh,” Jacob tried to speak, before pinching his nose and taking a deep breath.

“Have I ever told you about how I ended up here?”

Sean shook his head. He’d wondered about this for a while but never asked. He’d never felt like it was his place to ask. Everyone had their own shit, and he wanted to respect their privacy if that was what they wanted. It didn’t mean he wasn’t curious.

“My family, they’re very religious. I’m talking like… super conservative,” Jacob said, pausing before continuing.

“There was this woman, Lisbeth Fischer. She was the pastor at our church, really close to my family, my parents. But she was, _is_ , intense… “

Sean leaned forward, encouraging Jacob to continue.

“She uh, encouraged my parents to send me away, to a ‘medical facility’… that’s what she called it.”

_Huh?_

“Medical facility?”

“Yeah. They wanted to... cure me.”

_Cure him? What? I- oh…_

“You mean… ”

“Conversion therapy.”

_Shit._

He had no idea… None whatsoever. Although, Daniel had always been the more observant one. Sean was pretty oblivious, most of the time.

“Holy shit,” Sean said, not knowing what to say. Nothing seemed enough to encapsulate everything he felt in that moment.

“I always… took more interest in boys than girls. My parents and Lisbeth hated it… They thought I was a freak. A sinner.”

“Is that why you… ran away?”

“Yep. It took me five years to understand what was up. I was too scared… too confused. I found myself really believing them. I believed I was a sinner, that there was something wrong… with me. So I thought I needed to atone for my sins…” he said, his voice was soft, but he didn’t stumble over his words. He’d probably thought about telling his story before…

“Atone? For what sins? How can they preach this crap?”

“I don’t know… At the time I just followed them blindly… I was a sheep. But I didn’t know differently. Things have changed.”

“Damn, Jacob. What happened next?”

“After a few years… I was in a really bad place. I- I tried to hurt myself. Lisbeth wasn’t pleased with me… She told me to leave, go figure things out. So, I did. Which is how I ended up here, sent away by people that were supposed to be my family… my support system,” he said, tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Shit. I had no idea, Jake.”

“Yeah…”

“I’m sorry,” Sean said, not knowing how to react. He felt the familiar feeling of anger boiling under his skin, it was just so unfair. People don’t deserve to go through this shit.

“It’s okay, Sean. You couldn’t have known… I never really told anyone. You’re the first to know,” Jacob admitted.

“Thank you, for telling me your story. I… I wish there was more I could do, or say, to help you.”

“Just, know that you and Finn are good together. And the people here, they’ll support you. But not everyone will be like them, out there.”

Sean nodded. He’d already thought about that.

“Thanks, Jake…”

Sean pulled him in for a hug then, not knowing what else to say, and they sat in each other’s arms for a while. Neither of them knew how long, only pulling apart at the sound of someone clearing their throat.

“Hey guys!” Daniel said, Finn was standing behind him with a smile on his face.

“Oh, hey enano,” Sean said, hoping neither of the boys noticed Jacob’s puffy face and red teary eyes.

“I’m… gonna head back to camp, I’ll see you later, Sean,” Jacob muttered, smiling at Sean weakly before walking away.

“Everything okay, sweetheart?” Finn asked, grabbing Sean’s hand to pull him up from the ground.

“Yeah, everything’s okay.”

Finn nodded, still holding his hand.

“Sean, can we talk?” Daniel asked.

Sean looked at Finn, who only smiled before kissing Sean on the cheek, patting Daniel on the head, and then walked back to the camp too.

“You wanna train?” Sean asked curiously.

“Um... sure,” Daniel answered, running off towards their spot.

When they got to their spot, Sean started planning out exercises while Daniel played around with a couple of rocks.

“Are you ready?” Sean asked, but Daniel didn’t respond.

“Everything okay _enano_?”

No response again.

“Daniel?”

His brother finally looked at him then, before looking away and asking, “Are we still going to Puerto Lobos?”

“Of course. Why do you ask?”

“I – I was just curious.”

Sean didn’t buy it, so he went to sit down next to his brother who was now staring out at the lake in front of them.

“What’s going on?”

“What… what are we going to do in Puerto Lobos? We don’t know anybody… we’re like strangers. How long can we live there?”

Sean was taken aback. He had no idea where these questions were coming from.

“Dude, we can live there forever! Like kings! The dollar goes a long way there… We don’t need much. It’s a chance for us to start over, a new life. We won’t have to run anymore.”

“And what about me? What am I supposed to do? I can’t speak Spanish… How will I be able to make friends, or talk to anyone, if no one understands me?” Daniel kept firing questions at him. He’d clearly thought about this a lot.

“I can teach you, man! And you have no problem fitting in, everywhere we go. We’ll be fine, we’ll be together.”

“Right…”

He didn’t sound convinced.

“Is something wrong?”

“I just… I don’t… I don’t wanna go to Puerto Lobos."

“WHAT? WHY?”

“Don’t get mad… please,” Daniel pleaded, and Sean sighed, trying to keep his anger in check. _Deep breaths._

“I’m not mad, just confused… Why? Where else would we go?”

Daniel muttered something under his breath, but Sean couldn’t make out what he said.

“I can’t hear you, _enano_.”

“We could go find _Mom_.”

_No. No. No. No fucking away. Absolutely not. Not a chance in hell. No._

“Daniel… We can’t do that,” he said, trying desperately not to let himself explode. He couldn’t believe that Daniel was asking him that.

“Why not? We have her letter! We can track her down, and we can- “

“No, Daniel! We’re not going to look for Karen. End of story.” Sean was fuming now. He didn’t want to look for Karen, not at all. They had a plan, and they were sticking to it. When they left this place, they'd be going to Puerto Lobos. Just like they planned.

“She’s our mom, Sean. Please,” Daniel begged, tears forming in his eyes.

“She is NOT our mom, Daniel. She left us! She made her choice.”

“But she wanted to help us! She said so in her letter, can’t we just- “

“I said no! If she wanted to help us, she could have stuck around from the beginning.”

“Why don’t you care about what I want? I don’t want to go to Puerto Lobos! I want to find Mom!”

“And I’m your big brother and I say no!”

“Don’t my feelings matter too?” Daniel asked, tears falling down his face now. Sean was crying too.

“Of course they do, Daniel. But trust me, it’s for the best. Please,” Sean pleaded, trying to convince his brother.

"NO! You only care about what you want. I need my mom."

"Daniel, she left us... It's not worth it, please trust me."

"How can you say that? Maybe she changed her mind. Why else would she write that letter?"

"It doesn't matter, okay? It's too late. She made her choice. You and me are going to Puerto Lobos, end of story!"

"NO! I HATE YOU!" Daniel shouted, and Sean's heart broke. _No... He doesn't mean that. He's just angry._

"Daniel, please... Don't say that, you're my brother. I'm just trying to protect you!"

Daniel only scoffed, standing up to walk away. Sean jumped up, turning to run after him.

He reached out to grab Daniel’s wrist gently, not ready for them to end this conversation. He hated fighting with his little brother. “Daniel, please, let’s just- “

“DON’T GRAB ME!”

And Sean was flying backward then, hitting the tree they always used for target practice and then falling to the ground. He felt a dull pain on his left side, and he couldn't bring himself to get up.

“Sean! I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to do it that hard. I’m sorry, Sean. Please be okay, please be okay.” He could hear Daniel’s voice faintly, but his ears were ringing and everything sounded so far away.

“Sean! Shit, sweetie what happened?”

_Finn?_

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Hey Finn, where are Sean and Daniel?”

“Uh, I dunno Cass. I left them a while ago to talk, no idea where they went.”

“Could you go find them, please? It’s getting late, and we need to set up the fire soon.”

“Sure thing, boss. Finn McNamara, at your service,” he said with a bow and a wave of his hand, before turning and heading back to where he last saw the two brothers.

When he got to that clearing, they were nowhere to be seen, so he continued down the path. For a few minutes, nothing was unusual. Finn had his knife out, twirling it around, and was whistling to himself. He still hadn’t found or heard the brothers and was about to turn back and look in a different area, when he heard distant yelling.

He listened, following the sound, finally beginning to make out certain words.

“-Mom!”

“Big brother…. I say no!”

That was them alright, and it sounded like they were arguing. Finn picked up the pace, jogging lightly in the direction that they seemed to be shouting from. He saw the lake in the distance, wondering if that was where they were.

“-it’s for the best. Please,” Sean's voice was cracking. He sounded defeated.

"NO!-"

"-please trust me,"

As Finn got closer, he could hear the conversation more clearly. 

"Maybe she changed her mind. Why else would she write that letter?"

"It doesn't matter, okay? It's too late. She made her choice. You and me are going to Puerto Lobos, end of story!"

"NO! I HATE YOU!"

"Daniel, please... Don't say that, you're my brother. I'm just trying to protect you!"

Finn sped up, running now, desperate to diffuse the situation the two brothers had found themselves in. But as they finally came into view, Finn froze.

He saw Sean chase after Daniel, grabbing his wrist. He heard Daniel yell, “DON’T GRAB ME!” and then Sean was flying back into a tree.

_What. The. Fuck._

When Sean hit the ground, clearly in pain, and Daniel started running towards him, Finn found the power to move again. He was running now, desperately trying to get to his boyfriend. He had no idea what the fuck had just happened, but he could figure that out later. He just needed to know that Sean was okay.

“Sean! I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I didn’t mean to do it that hard. I’m sorry, Sean. Please be okay, please be okay.”

_Sorry? For what? Did he- No… No way. That’s not- Fuck, just get to Sean first._

“Sean! Shit, sweetie what happened?”

Daniel whipped around so quickly, at the sound of Finn’s voice. The little boy looked beyond distraught, and Finn’s heart broke for him in that second. The boy was frozen, like a deer caught in the headlights. It seemed he was only able to look back at Sean, sobbing, before looking back at Finn with a look that screamed, 'Please help me!'

Finn was at Sean’s side then, cradling his head in his arms. The older boy was conscious, but his eyes were clenched shut and he was clutching his left side. He was trembling too. Finn lifted his head slightly, placing it in his lap before stroking the hair out of his face.

“Finn?” Sean breathed, his voice was broken, and Finn started crying then. Sean’s face was streaked with tears.

“I’m here, Sean. I’m right here,” he whispered soothingly, leaning down to give him a kiss on the forehead. The boy sucked in a breath, finally opening his eyes and looking at Finn. He looked… scared.

“Hey, look, it’s me,” Finn cooed, taking Sean’s hand in his, carefully. Sean squeezed his hand gently, eyes fluttering shut again. He was shaking so much, and Finn had no idea what to do. 

“Shit… Daniel, what the fuck is goin' on?”

Daniel didn’t answer him. He didn’t seem like he knew what to say. This whole situation was messed up, and Finn had no idea what to do.

“Daniel…” Sean whispered, his voice cracking as he tried to call his brother over. Daniel ran forward at that, falling to his knees and wrapping his arms around Sean.

“Sean, please tell me you’re okay. Please,” he was begging, sobbing, his shoulders shook as he cried over his brother’s figure.

“I’m… I’ll be fine,” Sean said, voice thick. His eyes were wide open now, and he was looking around frantically. He tried to lift his head, wanting to sit up. Finn pressed a hand against his chest, holding him down gently. 

“Wait, Sean. Take your time… Slowly, there's no rush,” Finn whispered, caressing his cheek before helping him sit up.

Sean grimaced, grunting and huffing slightly as he sat upright, still clutching his side. But, he was sitting up, and he was conscious, and Finn felt relief wash over him at that.

“You okay?” he whispered, kneeling closer to Sean, hoping that he wasn't hurt too badly.

“I- I think so. My side hurts, but I think… I… _Shit_. Shitshitshit,” he grunted. Before Finn could react, Daniel was there, hugging his brother again. Finn didn't want to interrupt their moment, Daniel seemed to need this. So, he waited silently, looking around.

 _Is this the place they always disappear to?_ Finn wondered to himself before Sean cursed again, and he was by his side again in a flash.

“What is it, sweetie?”

“I… Can you help me up?”

“Of course, come on Daniel, help me lift him.”

Daniel quickly rushed to Sean’s right, while Finn carefully lifted Sean’s left arm so he could get himself under his shoulder, careful not to hurt him more. They lifted him slowly, waiting for him to find his balance before letting him try to stand on his own. Luckily, his legs seemed okay, and his head was fine too.

“Thanks,” Sean whispered. He cursed softly, before meeting the other two boy’s eyes, first Daniel’s, and then Finn’s.

"You sure you're okay?" Finn asked.

Sean only nodded.

“Uh… When did… when did you get here?” he asked, sounding mildly panicked again, his voice slightly shrill.

“I heard you guys yelling, I was out there looking for you… And then I saw you, uh… Fly against the tree?” Finn admitted, half saying it and half asking it. To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure what he'd seen. He _thought_ he saw Sean fly back into the tree... But that wasn't possible. Sean’s face dropped. His jaw clenched a bit, and his whole body tensed.

“What’s going on Sean? What happened?” Finn asked, hoping to finally get some answers.

Both the brothers were silent, only looking at each other, not sure what to say from the looks of it. 

“Uh… You don’t have to tell me, I’m just… I’m worried. I dunno what it was that I saw, but that shit… I’m a little confused here.”

Sean sighed, looking at Daniel who only nodded slightly. Sean gestured for Daniel to come closer and he did, standing next to him now, looking nervous as hell. Sean looked just as nervous.

“I… We… We have something to show you,” Sean finally said, his voice trembling slightly. Daniel nodded.

“Okay. Go ahead.”

Daniel held out his arm then, a determined look on his face. And suddenly, there was a rock in the air. A big, floating, rock. In the air. Floating. Big rock. Finn could only stare at it, his jaw dropped to the ground. The rock moved around above their heads, circling them slowly. Daniel was still focused on it, his entire arm shaking.

_What the actual fuck?_

Daniel pulled his arm back before pushing it forward, and the rock launched into the lake with a huge splash. Finn jumped at the sound. _Daniel did that... Daniel lifted the rock. And threw it. Shit._

Finn finally turned to look back at the brothers. They were waiting for his reaction.

“You... have superpowers?” he finally asked. Sean’s eyes popped out of his head, and Daniel nodded slowly.

A few seconds passed, as Finn tried to process everything he'd just witnessed. He noticed both the brothers looking increasingly worried as they stood there, waiting for his reaction. He had no idea what to say, but he needed to figure it out. Finn looked at Sean, who was chewing on his lip nervously and then at Daniel, who looked positively terrified. He had to reassure them... _Say something funny... Something that would make them feel a bit less tense. Anything._

He made up his mind after watching them for a while. These were the same brothers he'd known for weeks. The boys that both managed to steal his heart, in very different ways. They were still the same amazing people he'd grown to care about. And he knew them well... He knew exactly what to say to make at least Daniel feel better. And hopefully, calm Sean down as well.

“Holy shit, dude! You’re like a real-life superhero!” Finn praised, making Daniel perk up a bit.

“You’re not like… freaked out, or anything?” Sean asked.

“Well, ‘course not sweetheart. I was a little freaked out before, but I'm cool now. I was only worried 'bout you, and if you were okay. Now I’m jus'...surprised, but not scared,” Finn answered with a small smile. He meant it. The Diaz brothers both relaxed then, their shoulders sagging in unison.

“I do have questions though… I’d like to kind of, understand what the fuck just happened,” Finn added with a laugh. Sean and Daniel looked at each other, and Daniel nodded. Then, Sean looked at Finn again. For a few seconds, they were all silent. And then, Sean finally spoke.

“Okay. We’ll tell you everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finn finally knows about Daniel's powers, yay!  
> But Sean and Daniel are not doing well :(  
> It hurts to write sad/angry scenes between them, I just want them to be happy.  
> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.


	14. Tears

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a bit shorter than usual.  
> I have exams coming up this week, so I don't have as much time to sit down and write :(  
> For the next 3 weeks or so, I'll be uploading less frequently. Probably only once a week (at the very most).  
> BUT I should be back to regular uploading from the 22nd of November  
> Enjoy this chapter :)

“And that’s how we ended up here…” Sean finished.

He and Daniel had finally told Finn the full story, including the parts about Daniel’s power. It felt really good to finally not bear it all on themselves. Finn was a great listener too, paying attention and offering comfort when needed, much like he had on that very first night.

Daniel was still shaking, after the fight earlier, but Sean couldn’t address that with him. Not yet. He first needed to make sure that Finn would keep the power a secret. He wasn’t too worried though, he already knew that he could trust Finn. Finn had never given him a reason to believe otherwise.

“So… That's what caused the explosion back in Seattle?”

Sean nodded solemnly. Daniel's eyes never left the ground.

“Shit. That’s rough. Seriously, I dunno how y’all been keeping this a secret for so long,” Finn said, still taking it all in.

“It’s been hard, especially here with you guys. We’ve been, uh, training, out here,” Sean admitted. He already felt better now that Finn knew their secret, and seemed cool with it.

“So… that’s where you guys been disappearin’ to?”

Sean and Daniel nodded in unison, and Finn let out a laugh.

“Damn, y’all are sneaky,” he teased. Daniel smiled, but Sean was still too tense.

“Yeah, but Finn… You have to promise me you won’t tell anyone, please,” he pleaded. He needed to make sure the rest of the group didn’t find out, at least not unless he decided to tell them.

“No worries sweetheart, I swear. I'd never let anything happen to that little guy,” Finn said, giving Sean a reassuring pat on his shoulder and offering Daniel a smile which the boy returned gratefully.

“Thanks, Finn. Seriously.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m jus’ glad y’all trusted me enough to tell me… Even though I kinda found out myself,” he said, adding the second part as an afterthought.

The three of them sat there for a while, Daniel had shown off his powers to Finn for a little while. Finn was really impressed by the whole thing and had taken to hyping the kid up with everything he did. It was heart-warming, even though Sean didn't exactly feel like joking around. He appreciated Finn's attempts to lighten the mood though, Finn was always there to help him out. Unfortunately, this time there was too much shit on his mind, shit he didn't know how to process. But he didn't have too much time to dwell on anything.

“Shit. I almost forgot. The rest of the group’s been lookin’ for you two, so we should probably head back,” Finn explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Right, uh, let’s go then,” Sean said. Daniel jumped up, ready to go too.

“Hold on, sweetie. Are you sure you'll be okay? We need to come up with a story if you aren't…” Finn suggested.

“It still hurts, a little,” he admitted, avoiding Daniel’s gaze before adding, “But I’ll be okay… I’ll just say that I, uh, tripped and fell... or something.”

Finn nodded in agreement.

“Alright, let's go then.”

“Wait, um, Sean? Can I talk to you?” Daniel asked, tugging on his brother’s shirt.

Sean knew they needed to talk about it eventually, but he wasn’t ready. It was too soon, and he wasn’t sure what to say yet. What could he possibly say? Instead, he simply shook his head and walked off ahead of Daniel and Finn. The two of them stayed together behind him, thankfully realizing he needed some silence.

He wasn't ready to talk.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

The walk back to camp was possibly the most awkward one Finn had ever endured.

The two brothers were alarmingly quiet, though understandably so. Finn wasn’t quite sure what to say himself. The whole superpower thing – which Finn thought was super dope – was one thing. But Daniel using that power on his brother, and hurting him, was an entirely different thing. Finn worried about them, and their relationship.

Plus, Finn still had no idea what they had been fighting about in the first place. Neither of them seemed willing to address that, so Finn didn’t push the matter. But he was worried. They’d been in such a good place, for weeks, and now everything may have been ruined again.

_No. No way. They’re brothers. They’ll figure it out… They have to._

Finn just hoped that Sean would be okay. He had a tendency to downplay his issues, not wanting to burden people. But Finn trusted that if there was something seriously wrong, Sean would tell him.

When they got back to the camp, Cass gave them all questioning looks, noticing how quiet both brothers were. Thankfully, she didn’t ask any questions. Finn wasn’t sure how that would have gone down… She’d probably ask him later though.

Sean and Daniel didn’t talk at all the entire night, although Daniel kept trying to meet Sean’s gaze. Finn felt a bit bad for the kid… He knew that Daniel would never hurt his big brother on purpose, but that shit still sucks. Sean needed time, and he hoped Daniel would understand that. Maybe a little time was exactly what both of them needed.

When the group started separating for the night, Finn watched as Daniel walked back to their tent. His eyes were glued to the ground still, and the usual bounce in his step was gone. Sean, however, made no movement at all, staring straight into the fire. Finn felt really bad for him.

Cass asked, “You okay, Sean?” and he only nodded. She looked over at Finn then, gesturing for him to follow her, so he did.

They walked a short distance away, still able to see Sean from where they stood.

“Okay, spill, what happened?” she asked, poking Finn’s chest.

“Just usual sibling rivalry, Cass,” he said. It wasn’t exactly a _lie_ … Just an omission of the truth.

“I call bullshit, man. I’ve seen them fight, and Sean’s never looked so torn up before,” she whisper-yelled. Finn knew she was right. He’d never seen Sean this upset before, and it pained him to see it now. The boy looked heartbroken, and his usually bright brown eyes were dull and dark. Finn desperately wanted to bring light back into those eyes he'd grown to love so much.

“Look, I dunno what happened. When I found ‘em, they were mad at each other. But they didn’t wanna talk about it,” he said, again leaving out crucial bits of information.

“Okay, well, I hope they sort their shit out. No one likes seeing them like this, they’re miserable,” Cassidy answered after a while, accepting Finn’s explanation. She was looking at Sean sympathetically, who was staring down at the ground now. Then she said goodnight to Finn and heading to her tent. As she passed Sean, she stopped to talk to him for a second, patting him on the head before continuing on her way to bed.

Sean only lifted his head slightly at the contact but continued staring at the ground.

Finn sighed, before walking over to him.

“Mind if I join you?”

Sean shook his head, still staring at the ground, so Finn sat down next to him. He was pleased when Sean shuffled closer and leaned his head on his shoulder, glad to know that he could give his boyfriend some sort of comfort. It wasn't much, but at least it was something. He was willing to give Sean whatever he needed. They sat in silence for what felt like hours, not saying anything. Finn only wrapped an arm around Sean, letting him work through his shit at his own pace. Eventually, Sean lifted his head to look at Finn.

“Everything okay?” Finn asked. Sean shook his head, eyes dropping to the floor again.

“Wanna talk about it?”

Sean didn’t do anything, not giving any sort of indication.

“You know, sweetheart… I’m here if you need to talk about it,” Finn said softly. Sean sighed but gave no other response. It was a little deflating, but Finn needed to try something.

“Whatever happened between you two, whatever that whole fight was about… It’s gonna be okay, Sean.”

Sean said nothing still, only scuffing his feet against the dirt and poking the fire with a stick he’d picked up with his left hand.

“What’s going on? Talk to me, please,” Finn pleaded. He was growing more and more desperate by the second.

“Maybe tomorrow, Finn. Please… I can’t, not right now,” Sean finally answered, his voice breaking a bit as he spoke.

“Whatever you want, honey. Whenever you're ready. C'mon, I’ll walk you back to your tent.”

“No.”

“No?”

Finn was standing now, holding his hand out to Sean who was still sitting.

“I, uh, I don’t know if I, I… Can I…” Sean stumbled over his words, clearly nervous about what he wanted to say.

“S’okay, take your time. Nothin' to be nervous 'bout with me, sweetie,” Finn whispered, brushing a stray lock of hair away from Sean’s face with a smile.

“Can I… stay with you, tonight? Please…”

"I mean I don't mind... but Daniel- “

“Please, Finn,” Sean begged.

Finn couldn’t find it in his heart to say no to Sean at that moment, not when he looked so utterly broken. He looked over at the tent Sean and Daniel usually shared, hoping Daniel wouldn’t be too upset about this, before looking back at his boyfriend and nodding. Sean teared up slightly, taking Finn’s hand and following him to his tent.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sean was grateful for Finn; he was so supportive. But Sean wasn’t ready to talk… Not yet.

He was still trying to process everything that had gone down. Daniel wanted to find Karen. Daniel said he hated him. Daniel threw him against a tree…

_Shit._

He tried to think of something else, something good. But it was useless. Everything Daniel said was replaying itself in his head, over and over. 

_I HATE YOU!_

Sean tried to convince himself that it wasn’t true and that his brother was just angry. He tried to reason with himself and excuse what Daniel did. He was desperate to cling onto anything other than the fact that Daniel…

_No. Snap out of it._

He blinked back tears, pushing everything back, and trying to focus on anything else. Finn made space for him in his tent, pushing all his things into a corner before letting Sean get comfortable.

“Make yourself at home, honey.”

Sean looked around nervously, his vision was still blurred by the tears threatening to fall. He watched Finn lay back in bed, before kicking his shoes off and taking a seat next to him. For a while they stayed like that, Finn watching him intently as he fiddled with his jeans. But it was getting late, and Sean was tired, so he moved to lay down next to Finn.

He’d never shared a bed, well… ‘bed’, with anyone except Daniel. This was completely new to him. Although, everything he and Finn did was new to him. Really, Sean should have been used to this by now. But he was still nervous as he tried to settle on his back, feeling his boyfriend’s eyes on him.

_Nope. Not comfortable._

He turned on his side to face Finn, who was watching him with concern. Sean offered him a weak smile, which he returned, before closing his eyes.

_Nope… Still not comfortable._

Sean opened his eyes again, meeting Finn’s gaze again.

“You gonna stare at me all night?” he asked, hoping his tone was teasing enough. He was desperate to lighten the mood, but it was hard… Finn only shook his head, answering with, “Nah, just making sure you’re okay first.”

Sean smiled again, this one slightly less forced than before. Then he rolled over to face away from Finn, before trying to sleep again.

He stayed like that for a while, waiting for sleep to overtake him, and eventually, it did. And when that happened, oh how he wished he’d stayed awake.

Sean’s dreams were filled with memories of Karen… And his dad. How they used to be before she left. They looked so happy, what changed? He saw them fighting again... Not a frequent occurrence, but enough to notice. His dad was putting him to bed now, telling him not to worry. He did that a lot. And then Karen was gone, and his dad was miserable. But that only showed when he thought he was alone... In his dreams he saw his dad on the floor of the living room, staring at the ashtray Karen used.

And then, they were both gone. His dad was on the ground. Blood. Daniel was unconscious. Sirens. Seattle. Brett. Running, running, running. Weeks on the move, nowhere to go. He saw Daniel’s heart shatter again, the night he found out the truth about their dad... How he cried, and shouted, his powers were out of control. Everything in the room was floating…

And then, they were at the lake again. Daniel was screaming at him again. And then he was flying backward again. As he hit the tree in his dream, he woke up. In the midst of the jolt, he barely registered the fact that he was already crying.

But he couldn't stop himself, his heart ached and he felt like there was a lump in his throat.

“Sean?” Finn’s voice sounded so distant... like he was miles away. It made him cry more.

He could feel Finn shuffle closer behind him, wrapping his arms around him protectively.

“Sssh, sweetie… It’s okay, I’m right here. Not goin' anywhere,” he whispered. Sean let out another stifled sob, trying desperately to regain his composure. He never wanted anyone to see him like this. Usually, when he and Daniel were on the run, he’d go off on his own in the middle of the night when he started crying. He never wanted to trouble his brother unnecessarily. Nightmares had been a common issue for him since Seattle, but Sean hadn't had that problem since arriving in Humboldt County. Not until tonight. And here he was, crying his eyes out in Finn's arms, unable to stop himself.

“He… He hates me,” he tried to say, his voice cracking halfway through. Sean's words were muffled by his sobbing and sniffing, and he felt a bit embarrassed to be crying like this in front of Finn. But it was too late now, and he couldn't hold back his tears anymore.

“No, he doesn’t. He’s just… upset, okay? Come here,” Finn said, turning Sean to face him before pulling him closer. He was so gentle, so tentative... like he was afraid that one wrong move would set Sean off again.

Sean could only bury his head in Finn’s chest, letting the tears stream down his cheeks. Finn held him there, stroking his hair softly, whispering sweet and calming words. Sean cried for what seemed like forever, pulling himself closer and closer to Finn.

"I fucked up, Finn. I keep... I keep fucking things up! How can I fix this? How do I-"

He felt Finn’s lips press against his temple and heard him whisper, “S’okay, don’ worry… Everything will be alright, my little Sean.” Finn's voice calmed him down slightly, his heart rate steadied a bit. His face was still wet with tears, and the fabric of Finn’s shirt was soaked through, but he didn’t seem to mind at all, only pulling Sean closer and holding him tighter. 

They stayed like that for a while. He cried softly as Finn kept his arms wrapped around him protectively. It felt good to finally open the floodgates, and feel how he needed to feel about... everything. As his tears dried and the ache in his heart subsided, Finn leaned down to press another kiss to his forehead. Sean exhaled shakily, finally steadying himself, before wrapping his arms around Finn tightly.

“Thank you, Finn,” he whispered, his voice still weak and broken.

Sean fell asleep again before he could hear whatever Finn said next.

This time, he dreamt only of Finn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise things will get better again soon :)  
> Sad Sean is my least favorite Sean...  
> But I hope you guys enjoyed it regardless.  
> Kudos & Comments are always appreciated, I love hearing your guys' thoughts <3  
> Love you guys x


	15. A moment of peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fair warning...  
> This chapter is basically smut with feelings  
> Sorry, not sorry ;)  
> It's a bit shorter too, same as the previous chapter. I hope that's okay. Once my exams are done, I'll be back to my usual length chapters  
> Enjoy ;)

When Finn woke up the next morning, Sean was holding onto him, still fast asleep. He wondered how Daniel was doing, hoping that the two brothers would talk things out today. Sean needed that, that much was clear after last night. The fight with Daniel had clearly been torture for him.

Seeing Sean in that state was difficult. Finn wished he could take some of his troubles away, ease some of his pain. But he couldn’t. He could only be there for Sean, and support him, and hope that it was enough to help him.

He looked down at his boyfriend’s face, and his heart skipped a beat. Sean really was beautiful. Finn couldn’t resist brushing the hairs out of his face, leaning down to kiss his forehead. That was becoming a really bad habit, Finn couldn’t stop himself from kissing Sean, whenever he had the chance. He found himself staring at Sean’s face, studying it, admiring it.

_Fuck… I love you._

_Wait, what?_

Finn bolted upright, rubbing his eyes and giving himself a light smack on the face.

_Did I really just –_

“Finn?” Sean’s breathy voice cut through the silence, making Finn whip his head around to look at him.

_Play it cool._

“Mornin’ sweetheart,” he whispered, laying back down again.

Sean was still half-asleep, rubbing his fists against his eyes.

“How are you feeling?” Finn asked, trying to keep his tone gentle.

“Uh, I’m okay… I think,” Sean answered, but he sounded uncertain. Finn could understand why, so instead of asking more questions he wrapped his arms around him again. Sean exhaled lightly, relaxing into the curve of Finn’s body.

_This is nice._

“This is nice,” Sean whispered, voicing Finn’s thoughts.

“Yeah, it is.”

They cuddled each other for a while and Sean eventually fell asleep again. That gave Finn a chance to process what he’d just thought.

_I love you? Seriously? The fuck?_

He mentally slapped himself, careful not to wake Sean again. Finn couldn’t love Sean, not yet. It was way too soon. Finn didn’t do love, and relationships, and feelings… And yet, here he was.

He’d never been in this position… so wrapped up in someone for any reason beyond sex. But with Sean, it was like he had no control. Finn craved it. He needed to be close to Sean, in any way that was possible.

Sean stirred slightly, wrapping his arms more tightly around Finn’s waist. Finn could only smile to himself, nothing but happiness in his heart. He wanted this, every day, for the rest of his life. He needed this. He needed Sean.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sean woke up feeling safe, and warm. He could feel Finn’s arms around him, his hand tracing patterns on his back. Finn's heartbeat was calming, Sean could hear it since his head was against his chest. For a moment, he forgot all about what happened yesterday. There was no fight, no talk of Karen, no pain, and no crying. For the briefest of moments, there was only him and Finn, together in this tent. Nothing else.

“You awake, honey?” Finn asked, the movement of his fingers pausing before continuing on, a bit slower than before. Sean only hummed, shifting closer to him. There was no room to breathe between them, and he was perfectly okay with that.

“It’s almost time to get up,” Finn whispered, making no move to get up. Sean took that as an invitation to continue laying down. But Finn wasn’t having it.

“C’mon, you needa wake up now, my little Sean,” he cooed, his breath hot against Sean’s ear. The sensation sent shivers down his spine.

“Can’t we just stay here?” Sean muttered, lifting his head slightly and opening his eyes to finally look at Finn. 

"How you feeling?" Finn asked. 

"Uh, better than yesterday."

Sean lifted himself up and moved his torso around a bit, to get a feel for how much pain he was in. It wasn't too bad, just a slight bruise in the area, and a bit of a pull when he tried to bend at the waist too much. When he pressed his fingers against the spot that was bruised, he felt a sharp pain. _Better not do that again._

"Definitely better... Still hurts though," he finally said, more to himself than to Finn. He stretched some more, before looking over at Finn again.

_Damn…_

Sean couldn't resist the urge to stare at Finn, he looked really good in the mornings. 

“Enjoyin’ the view, sweetheart,” Finn teased, laying on his side with his head propped up by his arm. Sean found himself nodding, suddenly feeling extremely hot. Finn was fully dressed, but the way that his clothes were messed up, teasing Sean with little bits of exposed skin, made him wish that Finn wasn’t.

Finn seemed to enjoy the attention, cheeks flushing slightly before he leaned over to give Sean a kiss that was little more than a peck. That wasn’t enough, Sean wanted more… Needed more.

In the back of his mind, he knew that there was shit he needed to deal with today. He and Daniel needed to talk. Yesterday had been... a lot. But right now, all Sean wanted was to be with Finn. All he wanted was to enjoy this brief moment of peace. So, he went for it, chasing after Finn for another kiss. A deeper kiss. That got his boyfriend’s attention, and suddenly they were clutching at each other in a mess of entangled limbs.

When they pulled apart for air, Sean licked his lips, before asking, “So… Is it next time?”

It took a moment for Finn to catch up, still savoring the taste of Sean on his lips.

“Next time?”

“Yeah… Next time… The other night, you said I can- “

“Ohh, shit. Baby, are you sure you wanna do this now? With everything that’s going on?” Finn asked. He tried to keep a poker face, but Sean noticed the effect that the suggestion had on him. All of the tell-tale signs. Finn’s breathing was heavier, his eyes were darker, and his cheeks were pinker. Sean was becoming obsessed with the way Finn lost himself at times. It made him feel more like he had some control in the situation and gave him reassurance that Finn wanted him as badly as he wanted Finn.

“I’m sure,” Sean finally said, the new nickname spurring him on. He leaned forward to kiss Finn again, who kissed him back desperately. Sean pulled himself closer to Finn, feeling the outline of Finn’s dick against his leg. He moved his leg gently, creating friction that had Finn gasping for air.

Sean swallowed his gasp with another kiss. Finn kissed him back for a while, seemingly losing himself for a moment before he pulled away slowly.

"Wait, Sean are you really sure about this? I mean- After yesterday... Don't you wanna talk about it?" he asked breathlessly, caressing Sean's cheek.

Sean grabbed his hand, before looking into his eyes deeply.

"I want this, Finn. Everything else... I can deal with it later. I just want this moment to last for a while..."

Finn looked to him for confirmation one last time, and Sean nodded firmly. He offered another smile to reassure his boyfriend that this was okay, and then Finn was pushing him back, gently this time so he didn't hurt him. Then he moved to straddle his thighs.

“Wait, I wanna make you feel good too…” Sean whispered. Finn smiled at him, before muttering an “After, baby” and then grabbing the edge of Sean’s hoodie.

He looked up at Sean for permission, who could only nod eagerly and lift himself up slightly. Then Finn was pulling his hoodie off, leaving his torso bare. He tried not to feel embarrassed, swallowing down the insecurities that threatened to eat away at him. Then Finn was leaning down and running his hands down his chest, making sure to avoid touching the bruise. His fingers left a trail of warmth that filled Sean with a building need for something more. The way Finn was looking at him, with those hungry eyes, made him forget everything.

And then Finn was pulling his jeans and underwear down, not taking his eyes off of Sean's face. The sudden freedom and the cold morning air in the tent made him shiver, but then Finn was kissing him again and he was on fire. 

Finn pulled back slowly, eyes wild with lust and slightly sweaty. "You're so beautiful, Sean," he cooed, rubbing his hands down Sean's chest. Heat flooded Sean's face at Finn's words. His voice was dripping in lust, but that did nothing to hide the sincerity and emotion that he meant it with. Sean couldn't stop himself from surging up to kiss Finn then, gripping onto his face with both hands desperately. 

Finn took him in his hand after a few seconds, stroking him a few times before kissing his way down Sean’s neck. His grip was so perfect, so tight, so warm. Sean could feel himself throbbing. 

“Please, Finn, I- “

His sentence was halted as he let out a loud moan. Everything Finn did felt so good, so new... so hot. His hands moved confidently, his lips worked like magic, everything was perfect.

And then Finn’s lips traveled lower, and lower, down his chest and stomach. He placed an innocent kiss on the head of Sean's dick, before finally taking him into his mouth. The sudden warmth… Wet… _Wow._ He nearly came right then. Sean was pretty sure that nothing in the world had any business feeling that good. It felt so much more intense than the first time Finn had done this to him, and Sean's eyes rolled into the back of his head. 

“Fuck,” he swore, trying to keep his voice down. It was still early, and he didn’t want anyone to hear them. Sean was just glad that the tent he and Daniel shared was so far away from Finn's. That was the last thing anyone needed, to have to give a 10-year-old the sex talk.

He felt Finn moan around his dick, making his hips to jerk up unexpectedly and the tip of his dick hit the back of Finn’s throat and “SHIT!” Sean couldn’t control himself. The feeling was too much, too good. Finn didn’t miss a beat, bobbing his head enthusiastically and taking him in all the way a few times, before pulling off with a _pop._

Their eyes met and Sean felt more blood rush South. Such a simple thing really shouldn't have driven him crazy, but it did. Finn's eyes were beautiful on a normal day. Now they were straight-up mesmerizing. His dick was throbbing, he was so hard it hurt, and he needed to come. Finn only smirked before licking his tip and then swallowing him down again. “Oh… Fu- “Sean gasped. The sudden move caught him off guard, sending him dangerously close to his end. Sean was already so far gone, too far too soon. Finn moved his head up and down expertly, which had Sean losing his mind, trying to latch on to any restraint he had left. He was sure they were probably being way too loud but he couldn’t stop. Finn was deepthroating him. He could feel his balls tighten at the realization, his dick hitting the back of Finn's throat repeatedly, the vibrations of Finn's repeated moans echoing through him like shockwaves. Sean was certain that he'd be done for after a few more seconds, he was so close. 

And then Finn’s hand was traveling down, fondling his balls for a moment before moving lower still.

Sean tensed as he felt Finn move his legs apart, pulling off of Sean’s dick again. He replaced his mouth with his hand, his grip firm and hot and confident and _oh_ -so-perfect. Finn looked so good like this, his mouth red and his lips plump from sucking him off, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He was out of breath, but he looked all too eager to devour Sean still. Sean's head rolled back again, as he shut his eyes tightly. He didn't dare look down at his boyfriend any longer. There was no doubt in his mind that one more look would send him hurtling off the edge. 

He heard Finn whisper, "So beautiful..." and it made his heart flutter. The softness of the moment stood out in the midst of everything else they were doing.

Finn's head moved lower, and he planted a kiss on the inside of Sean’s thigh before moving closer and closer to…

“AH!” Sean moaned, somewhere between a whisper and a shout. He'd nearly forgotten that they needed to stay quiet.

Sean felt Finn’s tongue, wet and strong against his asshole. He could barely even breathe, barely even react. He felt a stretch as that tongue plunged inside of him slightly and _oh-fuuck._

He had no chance to warn Finn, his orgasm taking them both completely by surprise. He spilled over Finn’s fingers, and Finn only continued to stroke him through the aftershocks eagerly before licking him clean. And then Finn sat up, licking his own fingers clean, making direct eye contact with Sean again. He was too much of a tease and way too good at all of this. There was no way he didn't know the effect he had on Sean.

“Shit… Finn, that… I… Fuck…” Words were failing him, his brain had been turned to mush. Finn had officially ruined him, and he was loving it.

Finn kissed him then, pressing firmly against him, and Sean could feel how worked up he still was. His hips were flush against Seans, and he was rock hard. Sean could feel him throbbing against his leg. Overcome by a sudden surge of confidence, he used all his strength to roll them over, ignoring the resulting ache in his side.

“Damn, sweetie… That was hot!” Finn said, biting his lip. His voice was utterly wrecked, and Sean realized that was because his dick had just been down Finn's throat. That made his heart race. He desperately wanted to return the favor.

Sean smiled, before leaning down to whisper “My turn” in Finn’s ear, lightly brushing his lips against it.

Finn bucked his hips up expectantly at that, losing some of his previous composure _._ Usually, Finn was always so calm about things. He always seemed so zen and put together, never really showing signs of being flustered or anything like that. Sean definitely liked this new side of him, a lot. 

“Whatever you want, sweetie. We move at your pace,” he said softly, sounding out of breath, and his eyes were dark. He wanted this. And Sean wanted this too.

He reached down to pull at Finn’s shirt, and Finn lifted himself up to allow him to remove it.

_Wow._

Sean didn’t think he’d ever get tired of looking at Finn. But he wanted to do this, he wanted to make Finn feel as good as Finn had made him feel.

So, he leaned down to kiss Finn slowly, before mimicking what Finn had done by moving to kiss his neck. Finn seemed to really like that if his shaky exhale was anything to go on. Sean took it as a sign to keep going, so he moved lower and lower, stopping to admire all of Finn’s tattoos. He reached out to trace the lines of each one, enjoying the way Finn squirmed under his touch. He was so sensitive… _So sexy_.

Finn lifted his hips with a sigh, helping Sean pull his pants and underwear down past his knees. And Sean saw it for the first time…

_Holy shit._

Sean had never seen another man’s dick before. But he thought that Finn’s dick was probably the sexiest in the world, if dicks could be described as sexy. It was slightly bigger than his, and it was so hard, twitching under Sean's gaze. It made his mouth water. _Is_ _that normal?_

If he ever had any doubts about liking boys before… They were definitely gone now. Sean wanted Finn, badly. 

He didn’t realize that he’d just been staring silently until Finn propped himself up on his elbows, looking concerned.

“Uh, sweetie… You okay? We can stop y’know, we don’t have t- _oh_.”

Finn was cut off as Sean reached out to take his dick into his hand for the first time, wrapping his fingers around the base cautiously. His grip was light and Finn's dick felt heavy and warm in his hand, and he was unsure how to do it. Sean felt the nerves bubbling up inside of him again. He really didn't want to screw this up. But then he figured, _it’s just like jerking myself off._ So he quickly removed his hand before spitting in his palm and wrapping his hand around Finn's dick again. He tightened his grip this time, making Finn suck in a breath through his teeth. _That's a good sign... I think._

"Is this okay?" he asked. He sounded nothing like himself in that moment. 

Finn nodded his head frantically, eyes locked onto Sean's. 

"Fuck... yeah, absolutely. Perfect, baby." 

Sean kept eye contact and moved his fist up slowly, towards the head before thumbing the slit, which made Finn’s hips sputter again. It was nerve wracking, but he liked that Finn seemed to be enjoying it. 

Encouraged by the reactions he was getting, he started moving his hand up and down slowly, jerking Finn off. Finn seemed to really like that, panting softly. It was so unlike his usual put together demeanor. Sean sped up slightly, and then Finn let loose, dropping his head back in pleasure. 

“Ohhh, that’s good… That’s really fucking good, you’re do- _ah-_ you’re doing so good, _fu-uck,”_ he rambled mindlessly, his voice completely wrecked. It was undoubtedly the hottest thing Sean had heard, and he felt his face heat up as Finn praised him.

Precum was starting to form at the tip of Finn’s dick, and Sean was… curious. He wanted to taste it. He wanted to try it. He needed to try it... He leaned down, licking the head experimentally.

“FU- oh god, you don’t have to do that, sweetheart,” Finn said, lifting his head up to look at Sean again. Sean met his gaze then, before swirling his tongue around the head boldly.

That had Finn’s eyes rolling into the back of his head, his hands grabbing fistfulls of the sleeping bag they were on. Sean was dying to have them grabbing at his hair like that, so he took Finn’s wrist and guided it to his head, before wrapping his lips around Finn’s dick and sucking. 

Finn moaned loudly at that and his fingers were now grabbing tightly at Sean's hair, all previous restraint out the window as his hips jerked upward sharply. Sean gagged slightly as Finn's dick hit the back of his throat. Finn choked out an apology and forced his hips back into the ground, his entire body trembling with the effort it took for him to stay still. Sean half-and-half wished Finn wouldn't keep himself so still, secretly wondering what it would feel like if Finn really let loose and fucked into his mouth. The fantasy made his mouth work harder on Finn's dick, his tongue swirling around the shaft desperately as he bobbed his head. Finn spat out a string of curses and moans, not really bothering to stay quiet anymore. Sean wasn’t about to complain though, his own dick hardening again at the sounds Finn was making. It was impossibly erotic, and his head was spinning. He reached down to wrap a hand around himself, trying to bob his head up and down at the same pace as his own hand. 

Sean noticed Finn's moans and grunts become louder, his fingers clenching tighter in Sean's hair. It encouraged him to double his efforts. He swirled his tongue, flattened it, bobbed his head faster. Then he went down as far as he could, hollowed his cheeks, and sucked. That sent Finn over the edge. 

“I’m coming, I’m com- _shit, Sean_!”

Sean appreciated the warning, managing to prepare himself. He could taste it in his mouth, on his tongue and he swallowed eagerly, struggling to get it all. Some of it dripped down his chin. The taste was unusual, and Sean wasn't sure he liked it, but it was Finn's, and he liked _that._ Sean definitely liked the way Finn looked right now, fucked out and sweaty. He continued sucking Finn off, his own fist speeding up. Finn coming, the sound of Sean's name on Finn's tongue… It had Sean coming for the second time that morning.

He spilled over his hand and a little bit on Finn’s legs, though he didn’t look like he minded at all. Finn was still panting, hips still jerking slightly and legs still twitching in the aftershock of it all.

Sean finally lifted his head off of him, making the older boy moan unabashedly at the loss of contact.

“Holy fucking shit, baby… That was so… Fuck.”

“Was that… alright?” Sean asked softly, grabbing a piece of cloth lying around to wipe his hand and Finn’s legs clean.

Finn bolted upright, his face the most delicious shade of pink Sean had ever seen. It made him lick his lips subconsciously, not missing the way Finn's eyes followed the movement. That didn't seem to distract Finn too much from his previous shock. He looked at Sean with a look of utter bewilderment. 

“Alright? Shit, that was so fucking hot! You sure you never done this before? Damn,” Finn asked, making Sean’s face flush again. He found that he liked hearing Finn praise him a little too much. And then Finn was pulling him up and they were kissing again, slower this time. It was soft and gentle, and full of… something. Adoration? Fondness? No... He wasn’t sure what it was. Something more than that.

Sean pulled away slowly, rolling off of Finn before everything that just happened sunk in.

“Wow…” he thought out loud.

Finn let out a laugh.

“Yeah… wow,” Finn repeated.

They stared at each other for a moment, the rest of the world disappearing when they locked eyes. But then Sean came crashing down into the real world.

“Do you… think that they heard us?” Sean asked hesitantly. He knew they had both been pretty loud, especially Finn. Finn was very… _vocal. Really fucking vocal... So hot._

Finn's eyes widened for a second, and then they both laughed, still out of breath. Sean couldn’t believe he’d just done that. But he had, and _fuck me,_ he wanted to do it again.

And then they were pulling closer to each other to kiss again. It was soft and slow and warm... It was everything he wanted. Everything he needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *fans self again*  
> Thank you for reading ;)  
> Comments and feedback are always appreciated


	16. Confrontations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally done with this chapter. I promise I'll be back to regular updates soon! Only one more week of exams left.  
> Heads up, there's a pretty LONG author's note at the end of this chapter  
> Enjoy the chapter :)

Finn and Sean spent the rest of the morning tangled up together. Finn didn't think he'd ever get enough of Sean. But the real world was out there, waiting for them. Which is why Finn reluctantly pulled away from his boyfriend before he lost himself again.

The morning had been perfect, beyond his wildest dreams. And Sean… _shit_ … _Sean was so sexy._ Finn had gotten blowjobs before, but it had never felt so good. So powerful. It had never been so real… so intimate. It had always been fucking, for the sake of fucking, as long as he got some. No strings attached. But not with Sean. It wasn’t about the physical aspect of it – although the physical aspect was _really fucking amazing_. It was about being with Sean, in every sense. He craved it, for every emotional string that came with it.

But they needed to face their shit eventually, Sean had things to deal with. So, Finn had to exercise that good ol’ self-control.

“C’mon, I think it’s time to get up now baby,” he said, running a hand through Sean’s hair. _It’s so soft… Wanna just run my fingers through it... grab it and-_

_Shit, c’mon Finn._

“Can’t I stay in here today?” Sean asked. Finn shook his head, before getting up to pull his clothes back on. As Sean moved to do the same, Finn silently wished he wouldn’t. Seeing Sean naked was something he didn’t think he’d ever get enough of. He was sexy enough when he was fully dressed, the sleeves of his hoodie rolled up to show off those ridiculously toned arms. Those jeans that hugged him perfectly in all the right places…

But _shit_ , those clothes didn’t do him justice at all… Finn was now convinced that clothes were some sick joke, invented to torture him. He’d be lying if he said he’d never fantasized about Sean, or that he never tried to imagine Sean naked. But the real thing made his fantasies seem pathetic.

He wondered how Sean was so fit… and toned… Though he wasn't about to complain.

Once Sean was decent again, they both climbed out of the tent.

“You hungry?” Finn asked, slinging his arm around Sean’s shoulder. He couldn't ever really resist touching Sean, in whatever way he could. Pats on his shoulder, hands on his thighs, anything.

“Starving,” Sean answered with a smile that Finn was becoming addicted to.

“Let’s go then, laddie.”

On their way to the kitchen, they ran into Ingrid and Anders who didn’t seem to have heard anything that morning, thankfully. Finn didn’t care all that much, but he figured Sean would be a bit embarrassed. He hoped for Sean's sake that nobody actually heard them. They passed Penny as well, who only waved at them before taking a drag of the joint in his hand.

“Morning lovebirds,” Hannah greeted, an amused smile on her face. She took a slow sip of coffee, meeting Finn’s gaze over her cup with a knowing look. She had _definitely_ heard them if that teasing glint in her eyes was anything to go on. _Oops._

“Hey Hannah,” Sean greeted. It was a friendly enough greeting, aside from the slight stiffness in his voice. He was still convinced that Hannah secretly hated him, and it seemed he was a little intimidated by her. Finn had tried to reassure him, but that didn’t help much. It was just something Sean would have to realize over time.

Finn wished they would get along a bit better. He’d known Hannah the longest out of everyone here, and they’d always been really close. And Sean was his boyfriend, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that he’d want them to be friends too.

“Mornin’ Hans. It’s a real nice day, ain’t it?” he greeted, making playful small talk. She only smiled, taking another sip of her coffee. Sean went over to grab some for himself but froze when he saw Daniel.

The kid was sitting under a tree, looking miserable. Even more miserable than yesterday. Finn felt a pang of guilt for letting Sean leave his brother alone all night, but he pushed it down and walked over to Sean who still hadn’t moved.

“You should go talk to him, sweetheart…” he whispered, handing Sean two cups of coffee.

“Thanks, Finn. I’ll, um, catch up with you later,” Sean answered, not really focused on Finn anymore. Finn didn’t blame him, of course. Right now, he had more important shit to deal with. Daniel always came first for Sean, and Finn would never expect anything different. That was one of the many things he loved about Sean. Finn watched him approach Daniel slowly, before Daniel looked up, eyes wide. The brothers stood like that for a while, neither of them moving or saying anything. It was painful to watch.

Finn sighed. He wanted to step in, and help them out… But this was something they needed to figure out on their own. He didn’t exactly know what they had been fighting about but from the pieces of the argument that he’d heard as he approached them yesterday… Well, it didn’t seem like it was Finn’s place to interfere.

He watched as Daniel stood up slowly, and Sean held a cup of coffee out to him. The younger boy took it, and then Sean said something… Finn couldn’t hear what. But then the two brothers walked off in the direction of the lake, where he’d found them yesterday.

Finn watched them disappear down the path, before offering Hannah an overly-dramatic bow and then walking over to his own spot. The place he normally went to when he was stressed, or just wanting time to think and carve some wood.

Which is why he was surprised to find Cassidy there, waiting for him with her arms crossed.

“We need to talk, Finn.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sean had no idea where to start. He and Daniel had been walking in silence for a while, occasionally taking sips of coffee. At least Daniel had accepted the coffee, which seemed like a step in the right direction.

Eventually, they reached the lake, and Sean had to force himself not to think about everything that had gone down there the day before. Reliving that wouldn’t do either of them much good. In an unspoken agreement, they both moved to sit down on the ground, looking out at the water in silence. It was awkward, to say the least, but at least there was no yelling or crying.

_Not yet, anyway._

To Sean’s surprise, Daniel was the one to speak first.

“Sean… I’m sorry,” he said. His voice was soft, barely above a whisper, and his head was bowed. Sean wished they could simply forget about it all, and never speak of what happened again. But that wouldn’t help them much in the long run. They needed to have this out sooner.

Daniel started rambling after a few moments of silence.

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to do that, yesterday. I was just angry and confused and you weren’t listening to me and when you grabbed me, I just freaked. I never wanted to hurt you, it was an accident. I swear. You have to believe me, _please._ ”

His little brother’s voice broke on the last word, and tears started falling down his face. Sean’s heart clenched, he hated this. He hated it more than anything. He just wanted everything to be alright between them again.

“It’s fine… _enano._ I know you didn’t do it on purpose…” Sean said, rubbing a hand soothingly over Daniel’s back as the boy cried.

“Really?” Daniel asked, sniffling, and rubbing his eyes.

“Yeah, really…” Sean answered, before continuing, “I’m sorry too, for being such a jerk. And for… leaving you alone last night.” He tried to swallow the guilt that was quickly taking over. He knew he had the right to be upset and give himself space from his brother, but he still felt as though he'd done something wrong. Daniel should have been his priority. Regardless of what happened, he was supposed to be by his little brother’s side to protect him. To be with him, by his side. Always. 

Daniel sniffed again, before saying, “It’s okay.” The kid really was more mature than Sean gave him credit for, and he found that he really appreciated that. But at least Daniel was still a kid, at heart. 

“Thank you, Daniel. But seriously dude, I’m really sorry. I screwed up. When you mentioned... _her_ , I just,” he paused, not knowing what to say. He understood why Daniel wanted to find her, he just couldn’t find it in himself to do it. Sean finally said, “I just freaked. But I could have handled it better.”

Daniel nodded, shuffling closer before leaning his head on Sean’s shoulder and releasing a shaky breath.

Sean was perfectly happy to stay like that forever, but then Daniel broke the silence again.

“Sean…”

“Yeah?”

“Why... did she leave us?”

_Fuck._

Sean had no idea what to tell him. He wanted to say something, anything, that would make Daniel feel better. But he didn’t want to make something up, he didn’t want to lie. And truthfully, he had no idea why Karen had left them.

He’d let himself believe that Karen simply didn’t want them anymore, didn’t want a life with any of them anymore. He’d held onto the idea that she was just a selfish person that didn’t want the burdens and responsibilities that came with being a mother. It was easier to hate her, that way. Easier to not miss her. Easier to not hold onto the hope that one day she’d come running back to them, wanting to make up for lost time. Sean didn't want to waste more of his life trying to excuse Karen's mistakes.

But he couldn’t tell Daniel that either, Daniel still had hope. And Sean was quickly realising that he needed that hope, it kept him going.

That was why Sean decided to just tell the most straight-forward truth he knew, “I don’t know.”

It wasn’t much of an answer, both of them knew it. But it would have to be enough. He had nothing more that he could say to make things better, without pulling something out of his ass. And Daniel deserved only the absolute truth.

"Do you think she had a good reason? Maybe something happened... Maybe she didn't have a choice... It's possible. Right?"

Sean sighed. This wasn't easy. There was always a choice... and she chose to leave them. Regardless of what happened. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to say that to Daniel.

"I don't know, Daniel. Maybe." It wasn't a very convincing statement, and Daniel seemed to understand. Maybe he was beginning to accept that things just were the way that they were. No use debating things. 

He'd had always wondered why Karen had left them. Daniel had only been a baby when it happened. One day, she was there. And the next, it was just him, Daniel, and their dad. Until it was just the two of them…

Before their dad had died and everything had gone to shit… Sean had tried to come up with hundreds of different reasons that could possibly excuse or explain what she did. He never could. Nothing he came up with could ever justify that. And he’d given up, forced himself to let it go. He told himself to accept that Karen left because she didn’t want to be with them. End of story. It hurt like hell, but at least he wasn’t torturing himself trying to figure it out anymore. But since everything had gone down he found himself questioning things again.

If she had been there to help them, then maybe they wouldn’t have had to run away, uproot their entire lives. They wouldn’t have been alone. Maybe their Dad wouldn’t have even been shot… _Fuck._ _Maybe things would have been different. Better._

And after finding her letter, knowing that she knew what had happened… She had said she wanted to help, wanted her parents to help them at the very least. Did that mean she still cared? Sean wasn’t sure. But it sparked something in him. Something that he had tried to force out of his mind after reading the letter. It was too late. They had come way too far to change the plan now… Right?

“So… I guess we’re going to Puerto Lobos then…” Daniel finally muttered, after a few minutes of silence. Sean could tell he wasn’t entirely satisfied, but at least he wasn’t fighting it anymore…

“Yeah.”

If Sean was being entirely honest, he wasn’t sure he was entirely satisfied anymore either.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“What’s going on, Finn?” Cassidy asked, glaring at Finn.

“You’re gonna have to be a little more specific, Cass.”

“You, Sean, and Daniel. What happened yesterday?”

"We talked about this yesterday."

"Finn, come on."

“I dunno Cass. I told you ever'ything I know. They argued, that's it.”

“That's bullshit,” Cass scoffed. She knew when he was lying. She knew him too well for him to get anything past her.

“C’mon, Cass. S’not my place to talk 'bout their shit.”

“I know that! But clearly, something big happened. I saw the way they were staring at each other, I've never seen 'em so tense. And Sean is my friend. I care about him. Both of 'em. Can ya blame me for bein’ worried?”

“'Course not.”

He didn’t blame her, not at all. Her concern made sense. Sean had clearly been a mess last night. But surely, she’d know to back off when Finn said it wasn’t his place. Still, he tried not to get too angry at her. Fighting wasn't how he wanted to spend his time.

“But it’s really not my place… I swear I don’t even know why they were arguin’,” he tried to explain. 

“Fine. What about you and Sean, then?”

“What about me and Sean?”

“I saw you guys comin’ outta your tent together this mornin’,” she said blankly, folding her arms in front of her chest.

“And?”

“What’s up with that?”

_Seriously? Where is she going with this?_

“Sean stayed with me last night. He and Daniel were arguing, and I think he jus’ wanted a break. ”

Cassidy didn’t look pleased for some reason, but Finn didn’t know what else to say. He had no idea why she was making such a big deal out of it. He’d told her as much of the truth as he could without betraying Sean and Daniel. Why couldn’t that be enough?

“And you didn’t think to say, I dunno, maybe ‘No’?”

“Uh, what’s your problem?”

“Daniel is the most important person in his life- “she started to say, but Finn cut her off quickly.

“I know that, Cass! How could I not know that?”

“Then you should know that him leaving Daniel alone, even for one night, isn’t good for either of them. Sean’s gonna feel guilty and beat himself up about it, and Daniel’s gonna be hurt. How does that help either of them? They'll just have one more thing to add to their list of issues.”

She had a point, but Finn had tried to tell Sean that last night. Sean wanted to stay with him, and he couldn’t force him to do anything he didn’t want to do. Finn would never do that. And he was sure that it wouldn't be a huge issue. He trusted Daniel to be a bit more understanding than that. The kid deserved some credit for the shit he dealt with at his age.

“It's not that big a deal. They’ll be fine, they always are. They’ll talk and figure their shit out. Sean needed some space. And he asked to stay with me. That's all, swear. I let him, because I wanted to help him.”

“Sure you did.”

“C'mon. Gimme a break.”

“Don’t act like you let him stay with you for any reason other than your own selfishness.”

_Ouch._

“What’s that supposed to mean, Cassidy?” he challenged, trying and failing to keep his voice level. 

“I heard y’all this morning."

Finn half expected to be teased about it, but there were no traces of humor in her tone. And apparently, she wasn't done.

"Sean's not some toy you can just mess around with. He’s better than that. He deserves better than some meaningless hookup in the woods,” she said, poking him in the chest aggressively. He stepped back, hoping to avoid making this more heated than it was becoming.

Finn hated fighting with Cass, she always got so intense. And he was starting to get pissed off.

“Meaningless? Cass, how can you say that... after everything? Jus'... s-stop ruinin' everything,” he pleaded, hearing the way his voice cracked pathetically.

Cassidy’s words cut deep, deeper than he expected them to. It hurt to know that she really thought he was that selfish. As if he would ever do anything to hurt Sean, or treat him like a fuck-buddy. They were so much more than that, and she knew that.

From the beginning, he’d been open with her about his feelings. Finn thought he’d made it clear that he wanted more from Sean than sex. Cassidy should have known that. But, apparently, she didn't.

"Am I supposed to just keep my mouth shut? Let you guys be dumb? Have you thought this through at all?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your relationship. Being boyfriends. What's the big plan? Date until Sean decides to leave, then break up? And then what?"

"We, uh, didn't really think about that..."

"I'm not surprised. You never think, Finn."

"Stop, Cassidy."

"Not until you think about what you're doing." 

"I am thinking. I spent weeks thinking 'bout it. I wanna be with 'im... You _know_ how I feel about Sean..." 

Finn trailed off at the end of his sentence, leaving a moment of silence between the two of them. He hoped that would be the end of it, but it wasn't. 

“How _do_ you feel about him, Finn?” Cassidy challenged.

“Fuck man... You’re seriously gonna ask me that?”

“Yeah, 'cause I find it real hard to believe that you’ve gone from Mr. hotshot-player to a ' _man of commitment'_ basically overnight _._ I don’t want Sean to get hurt... Don't want either of you to get hurt. Do ya blame me for-”

“Damnit, Cass. I think I love him.”

Cassidy’s eyes widened, and Finn quickly looked around to make sure no one had heard that. He hadn’t meant to say it, not out loud. And definitely not to Cassidy.

She was looking at him, a mixture of shock and disappointment in her eyes. It wasn’t a good look.

“You’re an idiot, Finn."

_Well... That's not what I expected._

"You’re gonna get yourself _and_ Sean hurt. How do you think this is gonna end?”

Finn couldn't come up with an answer for her. He expected her to be happy for him... or at least not have _that_ reaction. It stung.

After a few seconds of them simply staring at each other, she walked away, leaving Finn to process everything that had just happened. _Fuck._ Finn didn’t usually care about what other people thought of him, but what Cass said bothered him. She was supposed to be one of his best friends. She knew him better than that…

And then Finn realized what he'd said. He'd nearly forgotten about it in the aftermath of the argument with Cassidy. 

He couldn't believe he'd said that out loud... _I love him?_ The thought had crossed his mind that morning… and a few times before that, but always in passing. Like that day Sean had pushed Finn against that tree, and the day Finn had noticed Sean drawing and staring at him, looking so wonderfully focused… At least until Cass interrupted him.

A passing thought was easy enough to ignore. Finn never gave those thoughts too much attention, because that just made them real. He didn't want to deal with the fact that they were doomed from the start. They were destined to part ways in the end, so getting attached would mean getting hurt.

But it was too late. Those feelings were already real. More real than anything he'd ever felt before. It had been real from the very first moment, the first look. There was not a shadow of a doubt in his mind.

Finn was in love with Sean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We been knew, Finn.
> 
> **Warning: Long author's note ahead, I had a lot to say apparently. Hehe.**
> 
> Thank you guys so much for helping me reach 60 kudos on this story!! I can't believe it honestly. I didn't expect to get more than like, 5 kudos, going into this. Of course, the numbers don't mean all that much to me, but it's still a good sign that you guys out there are reading and enjoying my story. Thank you for that <3
> 
> It's seriously been such an amazing experience writing this story so far. For months, maybe even years, I've been playing around with the idea of writing fanfiction for all the different fandoms I'm obsessed with, and I'm so glad I chose LiS2 as my first fanfiction topic. This universe and all the characters from both games mean so much to me. 
> 
> I actually have lots of plans for where I want to take this story, and I'm considering making it into a series. I have different ideas that I don't want to cram into one super long fic. Making it into a series seems a bit better to me. In my head it just seems to flow better that way. 
> 
> It's a big project, and a little daunting, but really exciting for me. If that's something y'all are down with, lemme know.
> 
> And as always, I'd love to hear what you thought about this chapter and are thinking about this story so far. Your comments and feedback help a lot and give me guidance on how to make this story as great as I can for you guys. So comments are definitely most welcome here :)
> 
> Thank you again for reading this story and for supporting me in my journey. It means the world to me. 
> 
> **Rant over, lol.**
> 
> Love you guys.


	17. Being open

“You better make me look like a superstar.”

“That’s a big job… not sure I can pull it off.”

“Shut up.”

Jacob shoved Sean lightly, laughing before laying down on the ground, resting the back of his hand against his forehead in a way too exaggerated motion.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m posing.”

Sean smacked a hand to his own face, before starting his sketch.

He’d asked Jacob earlier if he could draw him so that he could have a picture of each of the drifters. Jacob was way too enthusiastic about his new ‘modeling career’, but Sean wasn’t going to complain. It provided him with entertainment, and it was a welcome distraction from everything he didn’t want to deal with.

Sean started drawing, trying to stay focused on his drawing and not on… well… everything else.

“What do you think of my modeling skills?”

“You’re a natural, dude,” Sean teased. Jacob reached over to smack his leg before getting back into position.

“I would not expect you to be so into this.”

“Are you kidding? Being a model is fun,” Jacob said. Sean only laughed at that, before getting back into the drawing.

“So, you’ve seemed kind of out of it today… and yesterday.”

Sean’s wrist faltered, but luckily, he didn’t mess up the sketch at all. He’d hoped Jacob wouldn’t bring it up. He’d wished that Jacob wouldn’t notice anything at all, but of course, he did. Jacob noticed everything.

“I’m fine.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright.”

The conversation moved on to other things, random things. That was one thing Sean appreciated about Jacob; they could talk about anything and everything. Just like with Lyla…

“I’m almost done.”

“Thank you! My arm is starting to cramp.”

“Hey, you picked the pose.”

“Seemed like a good idea at the time.”

They both laughed at the ridiculousness of the entire situation, so they didn’t hear the sound of footsteps approaching.

“Aw shit, you’re drawing? Can I be your model?”

Sean didn’t have to turn to know that it was Finn.

_You already were._

Sean had failed to mention that Finn had already been a model for him, without him knowing. He’d tell him eventually. _Probably._

“You’ve got to wait your turn!” Jacob scolded teasingly.

“He’s right. We’ve got a system going on,” Sean added, looking over at Finn who had moved to sit next to him. He looked… not himself. He was smiling, and he was acting like himself. But he didn’t seem like himself. Sean couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

Finn noticed his questioning look and only gave him a wink in response.

“Sorry, sweetie. Don’ let me screw up your groove,” he teased.

Sean smiled at him, before continuing with his drawing. He felt Finn shuffle closer, pressing himself up against Sean and leaning his head on Sean’s shoulder to get a look at the drawing.

“Holy shit!”

“What?” Sean asked, turning to look at Finn again.

“Fuckin-A! That’s amazin’ Sean. You didn’t tell me you were _this_ good. Damn!”

“Thanks, Finn,” Sean said, bowing his head slightly to hide the smile Finn’s words brought to his face. He wouldn’t have been surprised if he was blushing.

“I wanna see it too,” Jacob pouted.

“You’ll see it when it’s done.”

“Shit, Jacob. He _really_ got you down perfect in here,” Finn praised, rubbing Sean’s shoulders as he worked.

Sean added the finishing touches, darkening the shadows here and there. The entire time he felt the steady beat of Finn’s heart against him. It kept him grounded, focused. That made it a lot easier for him to keep his mind from drifting away. When he put down his pen, he finally took in the entire piece.

“I think I’m done.”

He’d never seen Jacob move so fast before.

As Sean watched Jacob study the drawing, he felt Finn’s arm snake around his waist.

“I think he likes it, sweetheart,” Finn said.

“Like it? Are you kidding? This is so good! I love it!”

“Thanks, man.”

Jacob handed the sketchbook back to Sean, before looking around.

“Hey, where’s Daniel?”

Sean tensed. He and Daniel had talked things out, but things almost seemed _worse_ now. They weren’t fighting anymore, but things were… different. They had the whole Karen thing hanging over both of their heads. Sean knew Daniel wasn’t entirely happy about just giving up on Karen and going to Puerto Lobos, but what else could they do?

“I think he ran after Cassidy a while ago. He’s probably following her around or something.”

It was apparently Finn’s turn to stiffen. The smile on his face faltered for a second. The tattooed hand on Sean’s waist gripped him tighter for a second.

“You okay?” Sean asked.

Finn loosened up almost immediately, and a smile made its way onto his face again. This one seemed less like the one Sean loved so much.

“Yeah, ‘m good sweetie.” Even his voice was off.

Sean let it go for the moment, figuring it was better to talk about when they were alone.

“So, you wanna design my next tattoo? Been thinkin’ of gettin’ another one done someday.”

“You want me to design a tattoo for you?” Sean asked incredulously.

“Well, yeah. If y’want.”

“Hell yeah, dude!”

Finn laughed at Sean’s enthusiasm, giving him a kiss on the cheek. It was a simple gesture but, just like everything else Finn did, it drove Sean crazy.

“You guys know I’m still here, right?”

“Sorry, Jacob.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn quickly realized that Sean and Jacob were a great match. They each played off of the other’s personalities well. It was nice to see Sean so in tune with someone. Finn wanted Sean to find as many meaningful connections in life as possible. He deserved to have people in his life to make memories with.

After talking for a while, Jacob walked off to his tent. That left Finn and Sean alone.

“So, what’s up?” Sean asked, turning to face Finn.

“Whaddya mean?”

“You got all weird earlier. When I told Jacob where Daniel was.”

“Nah sweetie, it’s nothin. I’m cool.”

“It’s not nothing, Finn,” Sean pressed.

“Me and Cass just had a little… disagreement is all.”

“Oh. Everything okay?” Sean asked, the concern evident in his tone.

“Yeah, s’all good. It happens. We fight, and we get over it.”

That much was true. They did fight a lot, and they always worked it out. It was never worth the fight in the end, so they’d make their peace and be done with it.

“She’ll be singing by tomorrow.”

Finn really hoped that was true too.

“O-kay,” Sean said, sounding entirely unconvinced. Finn didn’t blame him very much for that.

“Don’ worry ‘bout it, everything’s cool.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

Sean smiled a little then, visibly relaxing. Finn was glad to see that. It was hard enough to just convince himself, let alone someone else. But it wasn’t the first time he and Cassidy fought, and it probably wouldn’t be the last time. Cassidy was headstrong and stubborn. She didn’t put up with bullshit from anybody, including Finn. He respected that about her.

Whenever they argued, it was usually Finn fucking up and being an idiot, and Cassidy getting pissed off. She’d be pissed for a day or two, and Finn would act normal. He’d crack a few bad jokes, and make it hard for her to stay mad. Then it was over.

Finn caught himself drifting into thought and snapped out it quickly.

“So, you gonna let me in that sketchbook sometime?”

Sean didn’t seem to hear him, having drifted off himself.

“Uh, you good, honey?”

“Hmm?”

The boy seemed to barely register Finn’s voice.

“Sean?”

No response.

Finn shifted closer, placing his hand on Sean’s thigh. Sean practically jumped out of his skin at his touch.

“Woah there, didn’t mean to scare you,” Finn teased, rubbing his thumb along Sean’s thigh.

“I, uh… sorry,” Sean mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

“What’chu sorry for? You didn’t do nothin’ wrong, no need to be sorry.”

Sean didn’t say anything, only shifting slightly to stretch his legs out in front of him. Finn noticed him cross his arms across his chest, rubbing slightly at the spot where he was bruised from yesterday’s fight with Daniel.

“You alright there, laddie?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

“Still hurts?” Finn asked.

“Just a little.”

“What’s goin’ on?”

“Nothing.”

Sean’s answers became shorter, making it clear that he wasn’t really present in the conversation anymore. He was preoccupied, which was painfully obvious now that there was nothing around to distract either of them anymore.

“Is it Daniel?”

“No.”

“So, you two talked your shit out?”

“Yeah.”

That was even less convincing than Finn’s explanation earlier. Sean was making little to no effort to even pretend that he was okay, which was confusing in itself. It was as though he was too deep in his own thoughts. Finn kept pushing, hoping to spark something in those brown eyes that were looking duller than ever before.

“You wanna talk about what happened yesterday?”

Sean shook his head, his entire body visibly tensing. 

“S’not good to keep that shit to yourself, Sean.”

Nothing.

“C’mon sweetie… We needa be able to talk ‘bout these things.”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Sean finally said.

“It don’t look like nothin’ to me.”

“Really, it’s nothing.”

“Sean- “

“Finn, please. Just drop it.”

The best word to describe how Sean sounded was tired. He sounded tired. Tired of whatever it was that was going on that he wasn’t telling Finn. Whatever it was, he seemed adamant about not talking about it. Finn didn’t want to push him anymore.

“Alright, consider it dropped.”

“Thanks… Sorry, didn’t mean to freak out.”

“No worries.”

Sean offered Finn a weak smile, before shaking his head slightly, taking a deep breath, and then changing the subject not-so-subtly. Finn didn’t give him a hard time about the obvious attempt and was careful not to bring up Daniel, or anything else that might get Sean in his head again. It was easy enough, and once the conversation was flowing, Sean seemed perfectly fine.

Finn knew that he wasn’t though.

“I should get going, gotta go move those water tanks for the shower.”

“It’s cool that you’re doing your part out here, Sean. For real,” Finn said.

“Glad I can help… I’ll see you later?”

“’Course, sweetie. I’ll be around.”

Sean smiled, patting Finn on the leg before getting up and walking away.

Finn was worried. He had no idea what was going on, or what was bothering Sean. He didn’t want to push for answers and piss Sean off, but it wasn’t easy to help someone if you didn’t know what the problem was.

_Maybe he and Daniel are still in a fight?_

Finn considered that thought for a while. It was the most obvious answer, but it didn’t seem right. Sean wouldn’t have lied about something about that. But Finn couldn’t come up with any other explanation.

He needed Sean to talk to him, but if Sean wasn’t ready. That meant that Finn would have to wait… or try to figure it out himself.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

_Why did Finn have to bring it up?_

Sean’s mind was racing. Coming up with an explanation for what was going on inside his head seemed impossible. He didn’t even know how to talk about Karen anymore. He could barely even handle thinking about her. What was he supposed to say?

_My mom left us… No, Karen left us. Karen._

And that was all there was to it. She left, and now she’s gone. End of story.

He didn’t want to relive those memories. He didn’t want to retell that story to anyone. Talking about her would mean thinking about her which would mean getting angry. And Sean was tired of being angry, which is why he was doing his best to steer clear of any conversations related to Karen. It was easier that way. It had always been easier to just ignore it. Eventually, if he was lucky, it would just go away on its own.

But clearly, it wasn’t enough to just leave it at that. Sean couldn’t sweep this under the rug anymore… but he was definitely going to try.

He saw Hannah sitting in the distance, peeling potatoes.

_Peeling potatoes. That’s a distraction._

She was sitting by herself and looking far too busy to have time for a fight. Well, not that she would fight him... Or at least, he hoped she wouldn’t. Sean still had no idea where he stood when it came to Hannah. Some days, she was standoffish and barely said a word to him. Other days, she’d surprise him by teasing him and Finn or giving them knowing looks, showing no signs of hostility. It was all really confusing. But there was only one way to figure it out.

Sean took a leap of faith and walked over to her.

“Need some help?” he asked, nerves fluttering in his chest. Sean was impressed that he even managed to get the words out. He’d never say it out loud, but Hannah intimidated him.

She looked up at him, seeming to consider his offer for a moment.

“I don’t, but you can help anyway.”

_Good enough for me._

Sean took a seat next to her, getting to work quickly. They didn’t say a word to each other at first, but the potatoes kept him busy enough to keep his mind off of all things involving Karen. It didn’t feel tense at all, which was surprising. It was a bit weird at most, but that was to be expected. Luckily, Hannah wasn’t giving him any death glares, which seemed like a good sign.

“Not used to peeling potatoes, huh? A lotta work?” Hannah asked, startling him. Sean was surprised that she was the one to break their comfortable silence that he had somehow gotten used to in the last few minutes.

She probably noticed his poorly concealed potato peeling-related struggles. Sean was never the family chef for a reason. Sean stuck to simple dishes, that were hard to fuck up. It was less dangerous for all people involved.

Their Dad always cooked the big meals, even before Karen left. Sean was young, but he remembered her lack of cooking skills clearly. One day she burnt toast when she attempted to make Esteban a Father’s Day breakfast. His words were “I think the greatest Father’s Day gift, is you staying far away from the kitchen.” It was a good day.

_Stop. Stop thinking about it._

“I know how to cook,” he defended, “Just not everything, yet.” He didn’t want Hannah to think that he was lazy and didn’t know how to do anything. Sean wanted her to like him, or tolerate him at the very least. And she didn’t seem like the kind of person who tolerated slackers.

“Yeah, but you hate it. Admit it. You wanna have a pizza, watch TV, kick back and relax, right?”

Sean’s mind drifted once again.

They ended up ordering pizza that day, which was their dad’s idea. “You want pizza for breakfast? You?” Karen asked with a laugh.

“It’s Father’s Day, no? And this papito wants his pizza.”

“Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!” Sean cheered.

“Looks like Seanie-boy wants pizza too. Isn’t that right, mijo?”

“Pizza sounds awesome,” Karen said.

“There we go! See, everybody loves pizza. Thank you, mi amor,” Esteban said, placing a kiss on Karen’s forehead.

_Fucking stop. That’s the past. It’s over. They’re gone…_

“I mean, it wouldn’t suck. Would you turn down free pizza and TV right now?”

“Guess not... Just, tell me you’re not like those kids. The ones that come through here all psyched to be working on a weed farm, feeling all cool and shit. Then they bail as soon as they realize they gotta bust ass.”

“No way.”

Hannah nodded in what seemed like approval.

“I… I know I have a lot to learn. But I’m not afraid to work hard.”

“That’s good. It’s understandable. You’re new to this,” she said, still peeling potatoes with ease. Sean watched her and tried his best to mimic her actions. It seemed to work well enough. She knew what she was doing… not that peeling potatoes was all that hard when it came down to it. Still, Hannah seemed to do it with ease; not like Sean who was hyper-focused on not accidentally cutting himself.

“How long have you been doing this?”

“A long time. Like, ten years or so. Seen a lot of people come and go. A lot of phonies too. I fucking hate phonies.”

Sean didn’t say anything, encouraging her to continue.

“There are too many phonies out here. A little dirt on your hands and a crusty backpack doesn’t make you one of us, you know?”

“I hear you. So, what do I gotta do to pass the initiation?” Sean asked, only half-joking. He really wanted to know.

She put down the knife and turned in her seat to face him, her hands on her knees.

“First off; don’t be a pussy. You gotta stand up for us if you wanna be one of us.”

“Fair enough.”

“Second; be open. You can’t expect to be a real part of the group if you don’t open up.”

_Well… that’s sometimes easier said than done._

“This is a family, not some pit-stop. You gotta share out here in the wild. Out here, we look out for each other. It’s all we have.”

Sean nodded, finding it hard to talk. The conversation suddenly felt extremely specific, especially after his talk with Finn earlier.

“You feel me, Sean?”

“Yeah… I feel you. But my brother always comes first.”

“That’s good. It means you’re not a selfish prick, at least,” she said, a smile on her face.

Sean wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her smile so directly at him before. He’d only ever seen it when she smiled at Finn, and Sean happened to be there too. It had him feeling more relaxed than he’d ever expected to feel around her.

“Yeah… It’s just, hard, you know? Like, I gotta rewire my entire brain, start all over. Everything’s so new, so different.”

“Yeah, I get it. I’ve been there, a long time ago.”

“So, how did you end up here with everyone?”

“Well, I met Finn a few years back, at some squat. That was sometime after he got out of jail. We just kinda clicked. He’s a young punk, with an old soul. Love him to death.”

Sean smiled, recognizing the love she had for Finn. He felt like they were on the same page when it came to Finn. Finn was their link. He tied them together, just like he tied everyone else in the camp together.

“I feel like, I can be myself around him, 100%. No judgment, no fear, no doubt. I don’t have to act any other way. He’s cool with whoever I am,” Sean admitted without thinking. He wanted to be open with Hannah.

“Yeah, that’s what we’re all about. But Finn is that guy, you know? He’s all about acceptance, it comes naturally to him… He’s pretty fucking amazing.”

Sean smiled at Hannah’s not so subtle gushing. She only rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face stayed intact.

“Don’t tell him that, he might get a big head about it,” she joked. That surprised them both, a little bit. But Sean found himself laughing anyway. Talking to Hannah was… surprisingly easy.

“We ran into Cassidy about a year ago. She was just, pissed at the world. Hurt, unable to commit to anything, except us. Then Pennywise found us here in Humboldt, tripping about his friend Jinx. We’re all pretty fucking tight now. And, well, you know the rest.”

“Yeah, I do…”

The potatoes were done. But Sean wasn’t ready to let go of this moment, which suddenly felt incredibly important. He felt as though if he walked away, he’d be missing out on something. This was Hannah, one of Finn’s closest friends. And Sean wanted to know more about her. She was important to Finn, and Finn was important to him. Sean wanted her to know that he cared.

“Hannah?”

“Yeah?”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but… how did you end up on the road?”

Hannah looked at him for a moment, almost as if she was analyzing him. Or sizing him up…

_Did I take it too far? Is this where she attacks me?_

There was no attack, only a hand on his thigh.

“My community was a mess, filled with wasted talent. My mom was an artist and a drunk. I tried my best to help her, she had talent. I got a job, worked my ass off for money to buy paint and stuff for her… She didn’t care all that much. She just, took everything back to Z-Mart so she could get some extra cash to buy booze.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah. That was when I knew I needed to get the fuck out of there before that curse got me too.”

“Well, I’m glad you did.”

“Me too… Thanks for asking,” she said softly, suddenly a lot less intimidating than she’d seemed before today.

“Thanks for telling me.”

“Hey, like I said… sharing is caring. Not opening up to you would be pretty hypocritical of me.”

“Right. Well, still. Thanks.”

“Yeah. Listen, I didn’t mean to grill you before. I don’t want you to think I hate you. Just wanted to be sure you know what you were getting yourself into.”

“It’s okay.”

“I don’t hate you. I might even actually like you, kind of.”

“Thank you, Hannah. I appreciate that. I like you too.”

Sean walked away from the conversation feeling like he’d conquered a battle. Hannah wasn’t all that scary, just tough. She knew what she wanted, and she didn’t appreciate fake people. That only made Sean respect her more.

And it also made him realize something - She was right. He needed to open up if he wanted to be a part of this family. He needed to open up if he wanted to be a part of Finn’s life.

Sean needed to go find Finn.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Sup, Jacob my man.”

“Oh, hey Finn. Where’d Sean go?”

“Aw, he’s off doing chores, bein’ responsible and shit.”

“Oh okay.”

Maybe Finn’s idea to talk to Jacob wasn’t very well thought through.

Finn had been out of ideas and stumped on what to do about Sean. He’d even been tempted to talk to Daniel about it, but that didn’t seem like the best idea. If they were still fighting, he wasn’t sure Sean would want him talking to Daniel about it. But Jacob and Sean were close, so Finn thought maybe Jacob would know something.

The issue: Finn and Jacob weren’t all that close. They barely spoke, unless Sean was there too. Aside from Sean, their friendship was limited to the odd greeting and group gatherings. That, combined with the fact that Jacob barely spoke much to anyone he wasn’t close with, made for a slightly awkward situation.

Or at least, Finn thought it would be awkward.

“Is this that point in the movie where the guy goes to his girlfriend’s best friend for advice? Well, boyfriend in this case,” Jacob teased, a smile on his face. That came as a surprise to Finn.

“Hah… Kinda, yeah.”

Jacob laughed, and Finn found himself laughing too.

He took a seat across from Jacob.

“What’s up?” Jacob asked.

“I’m kinda worried, ‘bout Sean… You got any idea what’s up with ‘im?”

Jacob looked taken aback.

“No. I thought maybe you knew. He’s been acting weird all day.”

“Shit…”

“Sorry, I wish I knew more.”

“S’cool, man. Was worth a shot.”

“You seriously have no idea what’s bothering him? I would’ve thought he’d at least tell you.”

_I have my guesses._

Finn looked at his shoes, kicking the dirt around.

“Naw, ‘ol Finn knows nothin’. I just… hope he’s ready to talk soon. Hate seeing ‘im like this.”

Jacob didn’t respond, and when Finn looked up at him, the boy was wearing a shit-eating grin.

“What?”

“You really are crazy about him.”

“Yeah, I am. No doubt…”

Jacob’s grin seemed to double in size.

“You good, my man?”

“Yeah. Sorry, I got a little excited. I’m sure that he'll tell you what’s going on eventually. He trusts you. And you guys… you’re good together. You know?”

“I know. He’s… Yeah, he’s a fucking gem.”

Jacob quirked an eyebrow, smirking slightly.

“You know… I tried to tell him that you liked him, for weeks actually. He never believed me.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“Well shit. And here I thought I was comin’ on to him too strong.”

“You weren’t exactly subtle about it. He’s just, really oblivious.”

Finn let out a laugh at that, and Jacob joined him.

“Yeaaaah, that he is.”

The two of them continued to talk for a while. Talking about Sean seemed to be the perfect way into a fun conversation and bonding with Jacob. Finn never expected someone so reserved to actually be so entertaining. He had a sense of humor, and Finn enjoyed talking to him a lot.

“You two look like you’re having fun.”

Finn tensed. He knew that voice all too well.

“Oh, hey Cassidy,” Jacob greeted.

“Hey, Jacob. Finn.”

“Cassidy.”

Finn didn’t turn to face her. He didn’t need to look at Cassidy to guess what the look on her face was. He could picture her, arms folded, fixing Finn with an icy stare. And judging by the look on Jacob’s face, he noticed something was going on. _Very observant, kid._

“What’re you guys doin’?”

“We’re just talking,” Finn said. He recognized how cold he sounded, but he couldn’t help himself.

There was a brief moment of awkward silence. Finn could feel Cassidy’s eyes on the back of his head, but he kept his eyes locked onto Jacob. Jacob, on the other hand, was looking between the two of them with a questioning look and a raised eyebrow. Thankfully, he knew better than to say anything.

“Well, don’t let me stop you,” Cassidy finally said before walking away.

“What’s up with her?”

“No idea, man.”

It wasn’t a total lie. Finn really had no idea what to make of what was going on between them. He just hoped that whatever it was, it would end soon. He wasn’t sure how long he could deal with an angry Cassidy.

“Yo, Jacob. Thanks for the talk,” Finn said before standing up.

“No problem. You heading out?”

“Yeah, gonna go take a walk. Stretch my legs. Get outta this fuckin’ camp for a while… If you see Sean, tell him we’ll talk later, alright?”

“Sure thing, man.”

Finn gave Jacob a pat on the shoulder before walking off an entirely random direction, twirling his knife between his fingers as he walked.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sean searched around the camp for Finn, finally spotting him disappearing down a path. He followed.

“Hey, Finn,” Sean called out. Finn stopped and turned, a smile on his face.

“Hey, sweetie. Wanna go for a walk?”

Sean nodded, jogging lightly to catch up before settling at Finn’s pace.

“You okay?” Sean found himself asking almost immediately.

“I should be asking you that, don’t’chu think?”

“Right…”

They walked in silence for a while, only the sound of the wind around them, and the faint sound of laughter in the distance. Finn took his hand as they walked, and Sean held onto it tightly. They both needed this, even if they weren’t ready to admit that.

“So, where are we headed?”

“No idea, jus’… goin’ with the flow, y’know?”

Sean didn’t know, but he went along with it. He found that he didn’t care all that much where they were going. As long as he’d be going there with Finn, it would be okay. Finn being by his side was enough to make him moving forward.

“So… Where’ve ya been?” Finn asked.

“I was… actually talking to Hannah.”

“What? Seriously?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Shit, can’t believe I missed that.”

“Yeah… It was actually kinda nice,” Sean found himself admitting quietly.

Finn nearly tripped in surprise, but quickly caught himself, turning to look at Sean.

“Really?” he asked softly. He sounded so hopeful, so happy.

“Yeah. She, uh, told me she doesn’t hate me.”

“Well shit. I told you that, sweetie.”

“I know… I just, needed to hear it from her, you know? Thought maybe you were just saying it to make me feel better.”

Finn laughed at that, gripping Sean’s hand tighter and shaking his head. When he looked back at Sean, there was only adoration in his eyes.

“You’re too fucking cute, man. Jus’ wanna eat you up.”

Words failed Sean at that moment, because why wouldn’t they? Instead, he just continued gaping like a fish. Obviously.

Finn noticed him becoming flustered, and said nothing more, only pulling him closer as they walked. It felt completely natural, walking through the woods hand in hand with Finn. Finn, his boyfriend. It was almost easy to forget that he and Daniel were still on the run and that they were bound to be leaving soon. It was almost easy to forget what brought them here in the first place.

Almost.

_Be open._

“Hey, Finn?”

“Hmm?”

“About… yesterday…”

That had Finn’s attention, and he quickly pulled them over to a spot where they could sit under a tree. Sean had lost count of how many different trees he’d sat under in the last few months.

“What’s up?”

“I… Uh…”

_You can’t expect to be a real part of the group if you don’t open up._

“Daniel and I… we were arguing about, uh…”

_Why is this so fucking hard._

_Just say it. You’ve said it before. Just say her name._

_Say it._

“Sweetie? You don’t have to talk about this if you ain’t ready for it.”

“No. I need to say it,” Sean said, voice thick with determination.

“Okay…”

“We were arguing about going to Puerto Lobos. Uh, Daniel doesn’t wanna go there…”

“Shit. Why not?”

“Lots of reasons…”

_Karen._

“Sean, we really don’t have to do this.”

“We do. We have to. I need to talk about this. I… I want to talk about this.”

“Okay. Take your time,” Finn said. His tone was soft, gentle as if he was afraid that talking too loudly would break the spell that Sean seemed to be under.

“Daniel doesn’t wanna go to Puerto Lobos. He, uh, wants to… go to Arizona.”

Sean could see the wheels turning in Finn’s head, as he took in the information. He was clearly lost, and understandably so. Sean didn’t exactly feel as though he was doing a good job talking about everything. Esteban would have said, “That was like pulling teeth.”

It felt like pulling teeth.

“Why Arizona? What’s in Arizona?” Finn asked after a while, chewing on his lip in confusion.

“Not really a what… More of a who…”

“Who?”

_Be open._

_You can’t expect to be a real part of the group if you don’t open up._

_We needa be able to talk ‘bout these things._

Finn was right. So was Hannah.

_Just say her name._

“Karen.”

_There. That wasn’t so hard._

“Uh… Who?”

_Right._

Sean forgot that Finn had no idea what their mom’s name was. He knew nothing about her, really. Sean never brought her up at all.

“Karen, she’s…”

Sean couldn’t say it. He didn’t know how to say it. _It wasn’t true._ She left, and she gave up that title. But how else could he say it? He needed to figure it out, come to terms with eight years’ worth of suppression, so he could say those words. Sean didn’t want to say it.

But Finn seemed to be putting the pieces together all on his own, so maybe Sean wouldn’t have to say it. Maybe.

“Oh… is she… Sean?“

Finn didn’t say it. Sean had to say it.

_Fuck me._

_Just. Do. It. Do it. Don’t be a pussy._

Silence. Deep breath. Closed eyes.

Finn’s hand holding his tightly reminded him where he was. The sound of his breathing, the smell of cigarettes, the feel of his heartbeat. Finn.

Finn was right here, with him. And maybe, in the end, that was what did it.

The words fell past Sean’s lips, so quietly they were barely a whisper. But he said it, and Finn heard it. Sean could see it in his eyes, the exact moment he heard it. He felt it too. Like a switch had been flipped somewhere deep inside of him. After years of denial, and refusal to accept it. After fighting and crying and pushing it away. After everything _._

 _It was still true_.

No matter how much he wished it wasn’t.

“My mom. Karen is my mom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I feel like it was kinda long compared to most of my other chapters, but hopefully not too long. I didn't feel right cutting any parts out, so you get this long mess instead.
> 
> Regardless, thank you for reading if you've made it this far <3  
> As always, comments are always welcome. They're even encouraged. I love hearing from you guys.


	18. Memories

“My mom. Karen is my mom.”

Finn really should have put it all together sooner. After all, he’d heard bits and pieces of Sean and Daniel’s argument the day before. He heard the word ‘Mom’ but he never gave it thought. Not after everything else that happened. Not after Sean got hurt.

But now things were falling into place, and his heart ached for Sean. And for Daniel. Their mom left them…

For a minute, Finn couldn’t believe it.

_How could anyone ever wanna leave them?_

And then, he felt anger. Pure, unfiltered rage. Finn was angry at himself, for not figuring this out sooner. And he was angry at the world, for what it did to Sean. _Sean_ , who deserved nothing but happiness. And instead, he got this fucking life. 

_Fucking unfair._

“Oh, shit…” was all Finn could say. He didn't think his anger would help the situation much.

“Yeah...”

“Sean, we don’t gotta talk ‘bout this if it’s too much. I’m not tryin’ to push you or nothin’.”

“I know, but I want to,” Sean said quietly.

He looked at Finn with determination in his eyes, and Finn could only nod. He was at a loss for words.

“I just… don’t know how,” Sean admitted. His hands were trembling slightly where they sat folded together in his lap.

“That’s fine, sweetie. You don’t needa have it all figured out. Take your time, there’s no rush.”

Finn scooted closer to Sean, taking his hand once more and squeezing it. Sean squeezed back, before exhaling shakily.

“It’s hard to talk about her. Daniel tried to, and I freaked out.”

“Is that what you guys were fighting about?”

“Yeah. He wants to look for her. But I can’t… She just… And my dad, he…”

Sean trailed off, looking down at his lap.

“Hey, sweetie. S’okay,” Finn said, reaching over to brush away some hair that had fallen down to cover his face. Sean sucked in a deep breath at Finn’s touch, before looking up at him once more.

His eyes brimmed with tears, and he was sniffing softly.

“C’mere,” Finn whispered before pulling Sean into his lap. That seemed to be all the encouragement Sean needed before he started crying, tears streaming down his face. He clutched at Finn’s shoulders, burying his head in Finn’s chest before letting out a strangled sob.

Finn could feel Sean’s heart racing; his was racing too. He wrapped his arms around Sean and rubbed his hand on the younger boy’s back in an attempt to comfort him.

“Why did she leave?”

“Sweetie- “

“Why?” Sean cried. Finn didn’t know what to say. He hated this, so much.

“And my dad… _Fuck_ , Finn… My dad.”

“I know, sweetheart. I know.”

Finn ran a hand through Sean’s hair, hoping that somehow it would make things better. Sean only cried harder.

“I’m sorry,” Sean sobbed.

“Ssssh… it’s okay.”

“I - I don’t even… I don’t know why I’m crying, _fuck_.”

“It’s okay, sweetie,” Finn soothed. Sean only let out another choked cry, pulling himself impossibly closer.

Finn didn’t know how long they sat like that for. After a while, Sean began to calm down. But they stayed in that position for what seemed like hours, not saying a word. Until Sean finally broke the silence.

“God… this is so fucking embarrassing.”

“What?”

“It’s the second time I’m crying in front of you… You must think I’m a mess.”

Finn understood what Sean was feeling. He was always taught to never cry; never show weakness.

His dad wasn’t the most… understanding person.

_Maybe that’s a slight understatement._

“Boy, stop crying,” his dad would say.

Whenever their dad was having a hard time with his ‘job’, he liked to take it out on his sons. They were, after all, his ‘employees’. Finn, being the youngest, had a hard time dealing with being yelled at by his dad.

One day Finn ran out of the garage, crying after his dad threw a wrench past his head at the wall behind him and his brothers.

“You’re pathetic,” their dad spat. “Fucking monkeys could do a better job than you.”

And when Finn cried, their dad always said the same thing.

“You wanna be a man? Start acting like it and stop fucking crying.”

Finn was ten. Ten years old _. A kid_.

“Dad, stop it. He’s just _a kid_ ,” Calum pleaded. He was the oldest of them all, eighteen years old. He never seemed afraid of their father, and he always stood up for all of his brothers, especially Finn. Jackson and Hugo tried… but they were kids too. _They were all fucking kids_.

_Fuck… I miss them._

“Don’t boss me around, boy! Know your fucking place,” their father yelled.

Later that night, after their dad passed out drunk on the couch, and their mom left to fuck-knows-where, his brothers snuck into his room. Finn was still crying.

“Hey, Finny, it’s okay,” Calum whispered, pulling Finn into a hug.

“Why does Dad hate us?” Finn wailed.

“Sssh… We don’t wanna wake him,” Hugo whispered. Hugo was the quietest of Finn’s three brothers, and always the most afraid of their father. That was why he never really spoke up for Finn.

“Fuck him,” Calum spat, rocking Finn back and forth as he tried to force back his tears.

“Finny, it’s okay. You can cry, you know?” Jackson whispered, sitting behind Finn and stroking his hair which had always been way too long and way too messy.

“But Dad- “

“Dad doesn’t know what he’s talking about, alright? _You are allowed to cry,_ ” Calum said, pulling Finn up to look him in the eyes.

“I am?”

“Yeah, you are. Everyone is,” Jackson said. Hugo nodded in agreement, still checking the door every five seconds to make sure their dad didn’t get up.

“Tell you what, Finny… Next time Dad is yelling or scaring you, and you feel like crying, you take my hand and squeeze it. Alright? I’ll help you,” Calum said, taking Finn’s hand in his own and squeezing it gently.

“Promise?” Finn asked, squeezing back.

“I promise, Finny.”

He always kept his promise. Whenever Finn squeezed his hand, he’d squeeze right back before swiftly diffusing the situation. Calum always seemed to know exactly how to handle their dad. Every night, when their dad fell asleep, Calum - and sometimes Jackson and Hugo - would come to Finn’s room and sit with him until he fell asleep. Sometimes he’d even read to him or tell him stories. Those nights Calum would rope Jackson and Hugo in to act as characters in the stories. Calum got Finn through a lot, with the help of the other brothers… for four whole years.

The day they got separated in the courthouse, Finn wanted to cry… He was scared. He was heartbroken. His dad had just ruined all their lives, for his own selfish gain. But Finn couldn’t squeeze Calum’s hand. He couldn’t get to Calum. The cops kept them apart.

“It’s gonna be alright, you hear me, _Finnegan_?” Calum had called out from behind the cop as they dragged them apart.

Finn could only nod, tears welling up in his eyes as he was dragged away too. It was the first time any of his brothers had ever called him by his full name, and he hated it. Suddenly, he hated the name ‘Finnegan’. All that name reminded him of was his dad... and that awful day. Which is why he let the name go, along with everything else from that part of his life. He packed all that baggage up in boxes and locked it away in the deepest and darkest corner of his mind. It made it easy to not think about everything that he lost; everything that he left behind.

But sometimes something would happpen; someone would say or do something. Those boxes would just topple right over, everything spilling out, and the memories locked away would come flooding through.

Finn wasn't ready to deal with them. He'd never been ready to deal with the memory of his dad, and he wasn't sure if he'd ever be ready. But letting all of it in for just one moment, made him realize something. Despite all his father's efforts to convince him otherwise, there was no doubt in Finn's mind.

His dad was wrong. 

_It’s okay to cry... You were wrong, Dad._

Because there was no way that Sean could be considered _weak_. 

Finn grabbed Sean’s hand, squeezing it tightly. Sean squeezed back. Finn couldn’t help but think of his brother… but Calum wasn’t here. Neither was Jackson or Hugo. But Sean was.

Sean was here. And Sean was his family, so he was going to do his best to help him through whatever he needed help with. Starting with making sure that Sean never felt ashamed of having real human emotions. Because Finn was _not_ the same as his father. And he didn't want Sean to ever feel the way his father made him feel. 

“Hey now, that’s no reason to feel embarrassed. You cry all y’need… There’s absolutely nothin’ wrong with crying, okay?”

_You are allowed to cry._

“I can’t… Daniel… I need to be strong, for him,” Sean said, voice heavy as he panted, trying to breathe his tears away.

_My sweet little Sean..._

Finn was lifting Sean’s head then, forcing the younger boy to look at him. He tried to ignore the way his heart broke a little, seeing Sean’s face. The boy’s eyes were wet and puffy, and his cheeks were stained with tears. But he was still beautiful, so fucking beautiful. The most beautiful, perfect thing Finn had ever laid eyes on. He was everything. And Finn wanted to curse the entire world, for everything it did to try and break him.

He wasn’t going to let anyone try and break Sean, ever again.

“You are strong. Strongest fucking person I ever met; you hear me?”

“But- “

“No buts. _Sean Eduardo Diaz,_ you are so fucking strong. The world… it’s been fuckin’ unfair to you. People are selfish and cruel, _but not you_. After everythin’, _you_ carried your brother outta Seattle by yourself. _You_ carried him all the way out here. _You_ kept him safe. He may have the superpower, but _you_ , you’re his hero. No fuckin’ doubt. And _you_ are allowed to cry. That don’t make you weak. That don't take away all the shit you did for your brother.”

“Finn- “

“I’m serious, sweetie. Honestly, it just makes you stronger.”

"How?" Sean asked, rubbing his eyes.

"'Cause you let yourself feel. Shit, I have trouble doin' that. I was always taught not to do that. I was told that cryin' made you weak."

"Who told you that?"

"S'not important. It's all bullshit... The fact that you can feel so openly, honey, is somethin' I admire about you."

And it was the truth. Despite his brother's efforts all those years ago, Finn still found it hard to let himself _feel._ He still tried to stop himself from crying whenever the urge to do so came around. Finn never cried in front of anyone, because of his father's words. But seeing Sean being so vulnerable with him, made Finn want to be brave.

Sean was looking at him, still with tears in his eyes, a bit like he’d grown two heads. But also, as if he’d just shown him the meaning to life.

“Thank you... I think I needed to hear that," he whispered.

“S’what I’m here for, sweetie. Meant every word.”

“I, uh, guess I kinda fucked up the whole being open thing…”

“You kidding? You tried, and that’s enough. No need to force it.”

“I- I know. Just, I think I need to see this through.”

“Alright. I’m right here when you’re ready. I’m always right here,” Finn whispered, giving Sean a kiss before sitting quietly and waiting.

The few moments of silence were thick with tension. But Finn didn’t dare to say a word. He wanted Sean to take his time to prepare himself. That was what he needed; only he could decide when he was ready.

After a few minutes of silence, with Finn only holding Sean and watching him as he worked up the courage, Sean spoke.

“Karen left us, not long after Daniel was born. She just... left. I never knew why. Dad… He never told me. I don’t even know if _he_ knew.”

“Shit. That must have been hard…”

“Yeah, it was. My dad never showed it though. For as long as I can remember, he never let us see he was hurt. But he was. He even kept all of shit old shit packed up in boxes in the fucking garage. I don’t know if he ever came to terms with her leaving... Some days I’d find him, sitting in the kitchen and staring at that fucking ashtray… Her ashtray. Even after all those years.”

Sean pulled a lighter out of his pocket, holding it out on his palm. His hand was shaking, and Finn reached out to steady it.

“This belonged to my dad. It’s the only thing I have left of him…”

He placed it in Finn’s hand, before resting his head on the older boy’s shoulder. Finn took a look at the lighter, running his fingers over the engravings.

“Puerto Lobos.”

“Yeah… He always said he wanted to go back there. He never… never got the chance.”

_Shit…_

“It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah… he loved it.”

Sean’s started tearing up again, his voice cracking as he spoke. Finn pulled him closer and hugged him tighter.

“You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah… no… I don’t know.”

“Fuck, man. I don’ even know what to say.”

“That’s a first. You always have something to say,” Sean teased. He smiled weakly. It was something, at least.

“Hah, yeah. But you love it,” Finn joked back, hoping to widen that smile on Sean’s face. It worked.

“I do. You always know what to say. I don’t know how you do it…” Sean whispered.

“Listen, Sean… it’s okay, to miss your dad, and to miss your mom- “

“I don’t. I don’t… miss her.”

“Sweetie, it’s okay if you do.”

“Well, I don’t… there’s no point. She left. She obviously doesn’t want to be a part of our lives. She just writes a letter to our fucking grandparents as if that’s gonna make up for all the shit she did.”

“Woah, sweetie. Slow down. Finn’s a lil’ behind. What letter?” Finn asked.

“She, uh… She wrote a letter, to her parents. Our grandparents. After what happened, back in Seattle. She asked them to help us… That’s how we know she’s in Arizona. Or at least, she was. We found the letter in her room, long story, but yeah…”

Sean trailed off again.

Something in Finn's mind flipped, and suddenly the anger he felt for Karen was replaced by a deeper curiosity. 

“She… wanted to help you guys?”

“No. She wanted her parents to help us. There’s a difference. If she wanted to help us, she could have. She knew what happened in Seattle, and she didn’t even try to find us.”

“How do you know that, sweetie?”

“What?”

“How do you know she didn’t wanna go out lookin’ for you?”

Sean didn’t say anything.

“Maybe she did? Maybe she jus’ couldn’t. _You were on the run_ … it wasn’t exactly gonna be easy for anyone to find you guys. Wasn’t that the point?”

“I doubt it. That doesn’t sound like her. She never cared… that’s why she left.”

“Sweetheart, don’t you think- “

“No. I don’t. The letter was a cop-out. That’s it.”

“C’mon, Sean… I know how it feels to leave family behind. I left everyone behind. Don’t regret it, but I still… I still think about ‘em. Still miss ‘em,” Finn said, trying to ignore the sudden ache in his heart at the thought of his family.

“That’s different, Finn. Your dad betrayed you, fucking sent you to jail. You had every right to take off… She didn’t. My dad didn’t deserve that.”

“I know that, sweetie. I’m jus’ sayin’ maybe it was hard for her too…”

“Yeah… Must have been really fucking hard to walk away from her entire family. Poor Karen,” Sean said, voice dripping in sarcasm.

“C’mon, sweetie. You know what I mean…”

“I don’t, Finn. She made her choice. She walked away. And she barely made any effort to stay in our lives, an odd fucking card here and there for about three years… Then nothing. She could have chosen differently, and she didn't. If it was so hard for her, then why did she do it?”

“I get it… Sorry.”

There was a moment of awkward silence. Finn felt for Sean and his situation. But nothing he said seemed to go over well. He eventually decided to try a different approach. Sean was angry, so Finn needed to use that anger to get him to really listen... Or at least, to pull that anger back so that Sean could actually see past it. And Finn had an idea of how to do that.

“Fuck her.”

“What?” Sean asked, looking at him in shock.

“Fuck her. You’re right, she left. That was all her choice, you said so yourself.”

“Oh… yeah.”

“You don’t have to do anything that you don’t wanna do, Sean. You owe her nothing.”

Sean nodded, but Finn wasn’t done.

“But it wouldn’t be for her, y’know.”

“What do you mean?” Sean asked, clearly dumbfounded by the sudden switch in Finn's tone.

Finn sighed, taking Sean’s hand before saying, “If you went to look for her, it wouldn’t be for her. It would be for Daniel… I think he needs it. And I think you might need it too, sweetheart.”

Sean blinked once. Twice. Three times. And then:

“What? No! We don’t need _her_. We’ve been fine without her for years. I can look after him just fine. I don’t need her help.”

“I know that, sweetheart. I'm not sayin' that. But Daniel’s relationship with his mom, that's his thing. Maybe what he needs, is to know her… Or at least meet her," Finn said.

"But... why?"

"Sean, does he even know what she looks like?" 

Sean stayed quiet, and that was enough of an answer for Finn.

"See what I mean, sweetie?"

"I do... I-I know, it's hard for him. But I'm just trying to do what's best for him. It's better for him if he doesn't know her at all. At least then he can't miss her..."

"You can’t make that choice for him,” Finn said, speaking slowly while watching Sean’s reaction.

“I- I know that…” Sean whispered.

“And I know that Puerto Lobos is the end goal. But Arizona’s on the way, ain’t it? And I mean… there ain’t no harm in making a pit stop, right?”

“I… I don’t know…”

“What are you so worried about?”

Sean sighed, before finally speaking.

“Daniel has this idea… that she had some great reason for leaving. He has hope that deep down, she still wants to be a part of our lives. I’m worried that what we find will only lead to disappointment… I don’t wanna let her hurt him.”

“I get it…”

_Fuck, this is tough._

“Look, sweetie… No matter what, I support you. Alright? I know you wanna protect Daniel, always. I jus’ want you to think ‘bout it. That’s all.”

Sean nodded again but didn’t say anything more. Finn knew he needed the quiet, to think about everything. So, he kept his mouth shut and drew patterns on Sean's back as he held him. They stayed like that for a while, until Finn noticed it was getting dark, so he gave Sean a kiss on the forehead before clearing his throat.

“Think we oughtta head back. Gettin’ late.”

“Right, yeah. Let’s go…”

Despite Sean’s words, he made no move to get off of Finn’s lap.

“Uh, sweetie? You gotta move, if we gonna get anywhere.”

“I know. Just, can we sit here a little while longer?” Sean asked, leaning his forehead against Finn’s and breathing softly. He seemed to be feeling a bit better, though Finn could hear the wheels turning in his head. He wished he could solve all of Sean’s problems then and there. But he couldn’t, so instead, he lifted Sean’s head by his chin so their eyes could meet.

“Please?” Sean added with a whisper.

And really, how could Finn say no to that? How could anyone say no to Sean, ever?

“’Course, sweetie. We can stay here as long as you like.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Where have you lovebirds been?” Hannah asked when Sean and Finn eventually made their way back to the camp. By that time, the sun had set and it was dark out. They were still holding hands. Sean didn’t mind at all.

“Oh, y’know, around. Why? You missin’ me again?” Finn drawled, squeezing Sean’s hand and giving him a reassuring smile before letting go and walking over to Hannah.

Sean was thankful for Finn’s attempts to change the subject and take everyone’s attention off of him. He took the opportunity to look for Daniel; he wanted to make sure his little brother was okay.

Daniel was perfectly fine, talking animatedly with Penny and Cassidy. They were laughing at whatever he was saying, and Sean waved to catch his attention. As soon as Daniel noticed him, he charged at Sean and wrapped his arms around him in a bear hug.

“Enano? You okay?”

“I just missed you…” Daniel said, words slightly muffled against Sean’s chest.

_Oh. Wow. That’s…_

Sean’s heart fluttered slightly. Daniel’s words caught him off guard… But they filled him with a sense of relief.

“I missed you too,” Sean sighed, before tightening his hold around his brother.

Daniel hummed in agreement.

Sean held onto Daniel with everything in him. He didn’t want to let go of this moment, after everything that had happened over the last two days. But Daniel wriggled out of his grip before grabbing his hand and pulling him over to Cassidy and Penny.

Penny waved at Sean, greeting him casually, while Cassidy looked as if she were studying him.

“Hey, Sean. You good?” she asked. There was something in her tone, something unusual. _So weird._

He nodded stiffly, before sitting down and letting Daniel continue with his story. Penny was great with Daniel and was honestly a cool guy in general. But Cassidy seemed more interested in Sean the entire time, her gaze constantly drifting over to him.

Whenever he caught her, she’d only slightly raise an eyebrow before shaking her head and turning her attention back to Daniel. This happened about five times, and when Sean was about to say something to her, Daniel let out a yawn.

“Someone’s tired,” Cassidy teased. When she addressed Daniel, her tone was completely normal. Again, _so fucking weird._

“I think it’s bedtime,” Sean said, taking Daniel’s hand.

“Nooo. Can we just stay up a little while longer?”

“No way, dude. It’s late, and I don’t wanna deal with your grumpy ass tomorrow,” Sean teased.

“Fine,” Daniel groaned, sticking his tongue out as his final act of rebellion before jumping up and hugging Cassidy and Penny goodnight.

“Sweet dreams,” Cassidy cooed. Penny merely nodded a non-verbal greeting. And then Sean and Daniel walked back to their tent. Before Sean climbed in, he looked over to see what Finn was doing.

Finn was already looking at him. Sean waved dumbly, to which Finn blew him a very dramatic kiss. That resulted in Hannah shoving him off the log he was perched on. He jumped up quickly, playfully shoving her back, never taking his eyes off of Sean. The smile on his face was something Sean would dream about for years. That dopey, lazy grin, that was just so… Finn. Hannah flashed Sean a smile too, which Sean eagerly returned. That seemed to make Finn happy, if the look on his face was anything to go by. He said something to Hannah, to which she merely shoved him again. Sean could hear their laughter from where he stood, and he stood watching them for a few more seconds before climbing into his tent.

By that point, Daniel was in his sleeping bag already, looking up at Sean expectantly.

“Everything okay, enano?”

Daniel nodded, before sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

“Where were you… earlier? You and Finn were gone for a long time. I thought…” Daniel started, but he cut himself off.

“What did you think?” Sean asked quietly.

“I thought maybe… you guys left without me.”

“What?! Why would you think that, enano? I’d _never_ leave you behind.”

“I don't know. I just… you spend so much time with him. I thought that maybe you don’t need me anymore,” Daniel whispered, fiddling with the zipper of his sleeping bag.

_Shit. What a great big brother I am._

“Daniel… I’m always gonna need you. You’re my little brother. No one could ever replace you.”

“Not even Finn?”

“Not even Finn. _We’re the wolf brothers_ , Daniel… Finn’s important to me. Really important… but you’re my number one, _always_ ,” Sean said, shuffling closer to pull his brother in for a tight hug which Daniel returned eagerly.

“I love you, enano.”

“I love you too,” Daniel whispered.

Sean paused, suddenly panicking.

“Do I spend too much time with Finn? Because if I am then- “

“No. No, it’s not that. I don't mind you spending time with him.”

“You sure?”

Daniel nodded eagerly.

“Alright… If you say so.”

“Sean?”

Whenever Daniel started with that, Sean felt like he was about to say or ask something huge. He sucked in a breath, trying not to worry too much.

“Yes?”

“I’m really gonna miss this place…”

_Fuck…_

“Me too, Daniel… Me too.”

“How much longer are we gonna stay here? Because Finn says there’s still a lot left for him to teach me.”

_There’s a lot left for him to teach me too._

It was then that he realized just how much Finn had taught him over the couple of months they’d been there. Finn had such an influence on people, Sean included, without even trying. And Sean knew that leaving Finn behind would be one of the hardest things he’d ever done.

“I don’t know. We still need a lot of money for our trip, so…”

“So, we’ve still got time?” Daniel asked, perking up slightly at the thought.

“Yeah, we’ve still got time.”

“Awesome! Tomorrow, I’m gonna ask Finn to show me how to carve my very own weapon of destruction,” Daniel said, putting on a stereotypical movie villain voice and rubbing his hands together menacingly.

Sean only raised an eyebrow, before shaking his head.

“Go to sleep, enano. I think your brain is giving up on you,” he teased, ruffling the younger boy's hair affectionately.

“Hey!” 

“I’m kidding, now go to sleep.”

“Okaaaay.”

Sean moved away, turning to get undressed when Daniel called out again.

"Sean?"

"Yes, enano?"

Daniel hesitated, leaving some space for awkward silence.

"Daniel? What is it?"

"Why can't Finn come with us?"

_What?_

"Uh..."

"Can't we ask him? I mean, then you guys can stay together. And Finn can stay with us, in Puerto Lobos. Wouldn't that be nice?"

Sean couldn't speak. He didn't know how to speak anymore. Daniel was apparently set on talking enough for the both of them though.

"He could help us, and then we wouldn't have to say goodbye. Everyone would win."

"Daniel..."

_We can't._

Admittedly, the thought had crossed Sean's mind. Several times, really. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. Finn was happy here, with the group. They were his family. Finn had already told him that much. And he'd already lost one family, so Sean didn't want to be the reason he lost another. That would be selfish, and asking way too much. But he couldn't help but picture the three of them, sitting on a beach in Puerto Lobos. 

It was a nice dream.

But that was all it was. A dream.

"We can't. Finn already has a family here. We can't just disrupt his whole life."

"But, can't we at least ask? Don't you want him to come with us?" Daniel asked, sitting up straight once more.

"I don't wanna put him on the spot like that, enano. It's not my place to ask something like that... It's too much."

Daniel's face fell.

"Oh, okay..."

"Daniel, it's gonna be fine. We'll still have each other. I promise," Sean said, patting him on the shoulder.

"I know. It just... would have been nice."

_I know. Believe me, I know._

"Night, Sean."

The younger boy turned on his side, closing his eyes and finally dozing off.

“Goodnight, enano,” he whispered, looking at his brother for another moment or two. He felt a bit guilty for giving Daniel a reason to think he was being replaced. But he hoped that he'd managed to reassure him at least. Because there was no way Sean would ever replace Daniel, no matter how important Finn was to him.

Sean couldn’t resist the urge to lean over and press a kiss to Daniel’s forehead... just like their dad used to do to them before bed, every single night. And it was Sean's turn to step up and be there for Daniel, in a way that only family could be. He would never be a replacement for their dad... no one ever could. But he needed to step up and be the big brother their dad wanted him to be.

He got ready for bed, climbing into his own sleeping bag, and getting comfortable. But despite how tired he was, he couldn’t sleep. It was impossible. Not when there were so many thoughts racing through his head. What Daniel said replayed on a loop in his mind, but he couldn't let himself think about that. There was no use. Sean couldn't ask Finn that, so he forced the entire conversation out of his head.

Leaving room for his conversation with Finn to play in his head instead.

_It’s okay, to miss your dad, and to miss your mom._

And Sean did miss his dad. A lot. Every single day... He missed him so much it physically hurt. But not her. Not Karen. _No way._

_How do you know she didn’t wanna go out lookin’ for you?_

Sean doubted that. Karen was selfish. She left, and leaving was selfish. She didn’t think of them then. Why would she think of them now?

_Maybe it was hard for her too…_

No. Sean didn’t believe that. He couldn’t… Was he supposed to feel bad for her? Forgive her for walking away because it was hard on _her_? _No way…_ Sean shook his head at the thought.

But Finn seemed so eager to try and make her leaving seem less like a selfish act than Sean wanted to believe it was… Especially when he brought up his own experience. But the situations were completely different. _Right?_

_It wouldn’t be for her._

_It would be for Daniel._

_You can’t make that choice for him._

But Sean wanted to. He wished he could. Protecting Daniel was his only priority. Letting Daniel be exposed to something that could possibly break his heart, didn’t seem like the best way to go about keeping him safe. And Daniel’s powers were too volatile; too unpredictable. It was too risky.

He looked over at his brother, who was already fast asleep. He couldn’t help the pang of guilt he felt at the idea of keeping Daniel from something that he needed. That didn't seem like something a good big brother would do. But at the same time, maybe it was for Daniel's own good. Karen didn’t exactly earn herself a good reputation, so Sean couldn’t help but feel doubtful of the fact that she was supposedly suddenly interested in helping them. Going to find her would get Daniel's hopes up, and Sean wasn't prepared to allow Karen to let him down again.

And to go all the way to Arizona on nothing more than some half-assed letter posted months ago…

_Arizona’s on the way._

Arizona was a huge gamble… For all anyone knew, Karen wasn’t even there anymore. It had been months since she’d written that letter… By now she could have moved on to another place. She liked to move around after all. _Staying in one place wasn't possible even for her family,_ Sean thought bitterly.

And even if Karen was still in Arizona… it's a big state. There was no guarantee that they’d even find her.

And if they did, what then?

Sean didn’t even know what he’d do if they found her. He didn’t even know how he’d feel. “What do you say to the woman that abandoned you and your family years ago?” he thought to himself. 

_And I think you might need it too, sweetheart._

He wasn’t sure what to think anymore. There was too much to think about... too much to consider.

And trying to figure it all out seemed like an impossible feat. That was why Sean closed his eyes and tried to focus on Finn. The way Finn held him and comforted him. And the way he always smelled a little like strawberries, somehow. Sean never really noticed that before tonight.

But most importantly, he focused his mind on one thing Finn said. Just one thing.

_I’m always right here._

As Sean fell asleep, he couldn't help but try to picture what it would be like if Finn did go with them. And he instantly regretted it, because the picture in his mind only made him want it more. But he couldn't ask Finn...

He couldn't possibly.

_Could I?_

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn was up extra early the next morning, hoping to get the first cup of coffee for the day. The first cup was always the best. But when he left his tent, he saw Cassidy in the kitchen.

_Guess she beat me to it._

“How long have you been up?” he asked, making his way over to him.

She turned to look at him, the surprise evident in her expression, before quickly masking it beneath a frown and turning away again. Finn sighed, feeling frustrated at this entire situation. He wanted this to end, right now.

“Cassidy… C’mon, will you at least look at me?”

She turned her head away pointedly, humming loudly in an attempt to ignore him. Finn wasn't ready to give up.

“Cass, please?”

She groaned, before turning to look at him again, her expression entirely blank.

“How long you gonna stay mad at me for?”

“How long you gonna keep acting like an idiot for?” she countered snarkily.

“Aw, y'know I’m always gonna be an idiot. Ain’t I _your_ idiot?”

She rolled her eyes, standing up to walk away, but Finn called out again.

“Cass... talk to me, please.”

She stood in place for a moment, before turning to face him once more.

“You’ve got two minutes.”

“I usually need more time than that,” he joked, hoping to draw a small smile from her at the terrible humor… Something to diffuse the tension, at the very least. But no, not today. Today she only crossed her arms, huffing impatiently.

“Alright, alright. I got it. I'll get it over with,” he said, shaking his head. Cassidy continued to stare at him blankly, tapping her foot repeatedly. Finn rubbed a hand over his face, before speaking again.

“Cass, I know you’re pissed. But believe me when I say I’d never purposefully do anythin’ to hurt either one of those boys. You know that. I know you do. I been honest ‘bout my feelings to you from the beginnin’, right?”

She nodded but kept her mouth shut.

“So, do ya at least trust me when I say that I‘d never try and force Sean to do anythin’?”

Cassidy hesitated.

“Cassidy…”

“Okay, yes," she conceded. "I trust you. But that don’t mean I get yer plan,” she said, walking up and sitting next to Finn.

“I know. Honestly, I don’t even know what my plan is…”

“That's my problem, Finn. Yer not thinkin' this through... I worry that the two of ya are gonna get yer'selves hurt. When this all ends, y'know it's gonna be hard on both of y'all.”

“Yeaaah… I know, I get it. But, I mean, I’ve thought about... stuff. I dunno,” he mumbled.

She looked at him, tilting her head to the side before her eyebrows creased in the middle. That was the look she usually gave when she was curious about something. He waited for the question, that he knew without a doubt was coming.

“What exactly _have_ you been thinkin’, Finn?”

_There it is._

Finn sighed, before finally saying what he’d been thinking for months. It was time to lay it out on the table, and hope that it went over well.

“I don’t wanna let him go, Cass. Maybe that’s selfish… but that’s how I feel… I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye.”

She looked at him for a few seconds, before her expression softened for the first time since their fight.

“You really care about ‘im that much?”

"'Course I do. Fuckin' drives me crazy, just thinkin' 'bout him. When I try and picture my future... he's always there. Every single time, Cass. S'all I see."

There was a moment of silence, and Finn worried he'd said something crazy. But then Cassidy spoke.

“Shit… Finn, you really _are_ an idiot,” she said. Only this time, her tone wasn’t as harsh as before. It could maybe even pass for teasing. But disbelief crossed her features. She wasn't taking this seriously. Finn needed to correct that.

“I’m serious, Cass… I think… I think he’s it for me,” he said, with no humor in his voice. She shifted awkwardly at the change of tone.

“He’s _it_ for you?” she asked, her voice cracking slightly.

“Yeah… I mean, y’know the whole, uh, ‘soulmate’, bullshit. It don’t seem all that far off when I’m with him. Felt it from the start…”

“Wow…”

“Yeah… Crazy, right?”

Cassidy nodded slowly, but she didn’t seem to know what she was agreeing to. The soft expression on her face was replaced by a pensive one, and her shoulders were stiff. She wasn't even looking at him anymore, eyes locked on the ground beneath them. 

“You alright, Cass?”

“Yeah, yeah, ‘m fine,” she muttered, before rushing off and leaving Finn alone with his thoughts again. He watched her leave, trying to figure out what exactly had gone wrong. For a moment there, Finn had thought they were getting somewhere. 

It had felt like one of those moments, where everything would start to change. And it seemed like they had reached some level of understanding. But just as quickly it came, it vanished again. 

Trying to figure out Cassidy was like trying to figure out how to carve wood. Finn sucked at both of those things. 

But he couldn't dwell on it. Not today. He merely accepted the fact that he'd done what he could, and decided to move on. Instead of trying to chase after her, he poured himself a cup of coffee and waited for the rest of the group to get up.

Yesterday was... not a great day. Today was going to be better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was kind of Finn-centric, but I love Finn so I'm completely fine with that. I hope you guys were too.
> 
> Thank you for reading.  
> I hope you all enjoyed it. The next chapter will be happier, I promise!  
> Let me know what you thought down below :)
> 
> Also, if you'd like to read something else while you wait for the next chapter, I posted a Sean/Finn high school au oneshot that I've been working on, called "I'm going through changes". Feel free to check it out if you haven't already :)


	19. Dreams

Payday.

Best day of the month.

Sean woke up that morning, feeling determined to have a good day. He and Daniel were good, he opened up to Finn, and everything was okay. Except for, well, being on the run. And Finn and Cassidy still not talking. But, today was going to be a good day.

“Alright, let’s see what we got here…” Merrill said, while the group stood waiting patiently.

Merrill went over everyone’s progress and work ethic, and Big Joe’s reports on each person. Everyone got their share of the money and were excused one by one until it was just down to Finn and Sean.

“Sean…” Merrill started.

At the sound of his name, Sean straightened his posture, as if that would earn him more money. Finn smiled at him encouragingly, their hands brushing together as they waited.

“Very nice trims. Good job, kid.”

Sean’s shoulders sagged with relief. He was doing a good job. Finn nudged him with his elbow and gave him a wink, which didn’t go entirely unnoticed. Merrill cleared his throat, and Sean felt that familiar warmth creeping up the back of his neck. Luckily, Merrill said nothing, which helped ease the embarrassment Sean felt.

“Finn, you saved the pots in the greenhouse and our asses. Nice work.”

“Thanks, boss. How about a raise?” Finn asked, doing a little fist pump to the ground. Sean tried to swallow down the laugh that threatened to escape his mouth. Merrill was… not impressed. He simply stared blankly at Finn.

“Uh… sorry,” Finn said, before looking down at the ground. Sean couldn’t help but smile at the idiot he called his boyfriend.

“Right. Listen, the two of you are good workers. And your personal lives, and what you do in your spare time, is not my business. But it _becomes_ my business when it interferes with how you do your jobs. Understand?”

Both Sean and Finn nodded slowly, smiles slightly fading.

“I’m not trying to be a dick, alright? Just, don’t let your shit become my shit, got it?”

They both nodded again.

“Good. Now, here you go,” Merrill said, before handing them each a wad of cash.

“Thank you, boss,” Finn said, with a small salute. Merrill rolled his eyes but said nothing.

“Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it,” Sean said.

“Yeah, yeah. No ass-kissing, please. Dismissed.”

Sean nodded and followed behind Finn as they headed to the door, but Merrill’s voice made them pause again.

“Hold up, Sean. You stay. Finn, get outta here.”

_What?_

“Uh, Merrill, wha- “ Finn started to argue, but Merrill cut him off with a raised palm.

“Out.”

Finn nodded, giving Sean one last look before leaving. Sean tried not to gulp when he came face to face with Merrill. He’d only ever been alone with Merrill once, and it was a conversation all about how Daniel better not fuck up the job. _Very encouraging words._

He half expected Merrill to start yelling at him. Tons of possibilities ran through his mind, but none of them were right in the end. What Merrill said was something Sean didn’t expect at all.

“You really impressed me these past few months.”

“Oh, uh… thanks?”

“Don’t sound so surprised. I can recognize a good work ethic.”

Sean smiled a little but quickly forced a blank expression. Merrill wasn’t the type of guy who appreciated a smile.

“But I need you to stay focused, alright? I got mouths to feed back home, and my own boss to answer to. I cannot afford to have workers that aren’t doing their jobs _._ If you slack off or distract the others, you and your brother are out. _”_

Sean shifted his feet, not really sure what to say to that. It was… half a compliment; and half a threat. But was he slacking? He wasn’t sure whether to be worried or not, but Merrill interrupted whatever thoughts were running through his head. 

“Look, I’m not trying to bust your balls. I think you’re doing alright. Maybe even one of the best workers here. Just don’t fuck up, and we’re good.”

“Okay. I understand.”

“Good. Dismissed.”

He rushed out the door before Merrill could say another word. Finn, Jacob, and Daniel were waiting for him outside.

“Everything cool, sweetie?” Finn asked, throwing his arm around Sean’s shoulder.

“Yeah… Actually, everything is cool,” Sean said, holding up the wad of cash.

The conversation with Merrill, if one could call it a conversation, had honestly surprised Sean. When Merrill told him to stay behind, he really expected to get yelled at for something. Then again, Merrill could have done that in front of the rest of the group. He usually did.

But there was no yelling. He maybe even seemed… tolerable?

Sean suddenly felt a bit bad for talking shit about Merrill all these months. He couldn’t help but feel as though maybe the man _had to_ be such a hard-ass. After all, Merrill said he was answering to someone else. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t so bad.

A dick? _Absolutely._ But not necessarily the worst person in the world. It was starting to seem like he was just doing what he had to do, to get results and put food on the table for his own kids… Sean couldn’t help but relate to that. He’d done some regrettable things himself over the last few months on the run, all to keep Daniel safe; screw whoever made it harder for him to do that.

“You ready to head back?” Jacob asked, pulling Sean out of his thoughts.

“Definitely.”

“Alright! Let’s get this party started,” Finn cheered before the four of them made their way to the truck.

Today was going to be a good day.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Cass! Wait up!”

As soon as the truck arrived back at camp, Cassidy was the first one to get off. Finn desperately wanted to talk to her after their conversation this morning, but she was too quick for him.

“What’s up with her?” Sean asked, coming up next to Finn and watching Cassidy rush away.

“Fuck if I know.”

“You guys still fighting?” the younger boy asked, placing a hand on Finn’s shoulder.

“Naw… Well, I thought we were cool. We talked this mornin’, but seems she’s still pissed,” Finn said, before turning to look at Sean.

“So, Daniel seems, uh, preoccupied...” Finn started, pointing over to where Daniel was sitting and talking to Penny.

“When did they get so close?” Sean asked with a small frown.

_Too fucking cute._

“Uh, oh. Is big brother jealous?”

“No way, dude.”

Finn laughed at Sean’s obvious jealousy and unconvincing denial, before getting distracted. Sean had turned to look at Daniel again, and Finn couldn’t stop his eyes from roaming. He eyed the younger boy, suddenly feeling incredibly warm. For some reason, the way the sun shone down on his face at that particular angle made him look more attractive than usual. And those jeans…

_Those fucking jeans._

Finn knew there was definitely something wrong with him because he somehow managed to get turned on by Sean _just fucking standing there_. But he couldn’t help himself. He grabbed Sean by the hand, leading him towards the tents.

“Where are we going?”

“Aw, come on. Jus’ follow me, honey,” Finn said, putting on his best sultry voice. Sean’s cheeks flushed at the implications of that tone, before nodding eagerly and letting Finn drag him along.

They ended up in Sean’s tent.

Because Finn’s a horny bastard.

It had been _too long_ … even though it had literally only been a day, and Finn was actually starting to crave it. He was _craving_ to feel Sean, and hear him, and those precious sounds he makes. This boy really was messing him up in all kinds of ways. Finn had never needed anybody like this before.

“My tent? Really?”

“Well, you wanna go somewhere else sweetie?” Finn asked, tugging on the hem of Sean’s hoodie before sliding his hands under and up Sean’s chest, tugging slightly at his nipples. Sean gasped and threw his head back; which Finn saw as an opportunity to dive in and kiss at the crook of his neck.

“I – I, uh, no… Here’s fine,” Sean breathed out.

Finn chuckled softly, tugging Sean down on top of him, before resuming his efforts to turn Sean into a puddle. He loved how easily he could fluster the boy on top of him.

“F-Finn… It’s the middle of the afternoon… What i-if someone h-hears? W-what if Daniel comes b-back here?” Sean asked, stuttering every time Finn moved from kissing to biting softly to sucking.

“Aw, better be quick then, honey. Don’t worry… Finn’s gonna take care of ya,” Finn cooed, before shoving his hand down the younger boy’s jeans.

“Finn,” Sean gasped. The older boy wrapped his hand around Sean’s dick which was already half-hard, drawing a soft moan out of him. The sound sent shivers down Finn’s spine, and he started moving with more urgency. Sean’s head was tilted back in pleasure, and his jaw was clenched. Finn just _knew_ he was trying to contain those little sounds he wanted to hear so badly. But the sight alone was enough, and the way Sean was squirming in his lap only made it harder for Finn. _Literally._

Before he could stop himself, Sean rolled his hips and a string of sentences tumbled out of Finn’s mouth.

“Shit, if you could see yourself right now. Wish I could draw you… Let you see yourself. Dunno what the fuck you’re doing with me, sweetie. You’re so beautiful. You have no fuckin’ idea. Fuck, what did I do to deserve ya?”

Sean managed to turn an even deeper shade of red at that, but he also froze. His whole body was stiff, and he started pushing at Finn’s chest.

“W-wait…” he gasped.

Finn halted his movement, pulling his hand back quickly.

“Shit, sweetie. Too much? I’m sorry, lemme just – “

“N-no… I just, I wanna show you something first,” Sean said, breathing heavily and looking nervous.

“Uh… alright?” Finn said, scratching the back of his head. The atmosphere changed so suddenly, leaving Finn feeling slightly flustered. He wasn’t used to this.

Sean got up, reaching over to his backpack, before scratching around in there frantically. Finn bit his lip while shifting slightly to adjust his pants, trying to calm his hormones down enough to focus on whatever Sean wanted to show him. Everything else could wait.

When Sean finally shuffled back into his spot opposite Finn, he was holding his sketchbook. 

“Uh… Is this where you finally draw me like one of yer French girls? Because I mean, it’s last-minute but I can make it happen for you.”

“What? No… I, uh… just, look,” Sean stammered, thrusting the sketchbook into Finn’s hands.

“Okay?”

Finn took the book and opened it up to the first page.

_Hi Son,_

_I hope you'll work wonders with this new sketchbook._

_I'm sure you will. That is, if you're not too lazy to get to it._

_I remember your very first drawing was of me._

_NOW can you BEAT my skillful portrait of you?_

There was a drawing of a kid – probably little Sean – on a skateboard. Finn couldn’t help but smile at it.

_OK, RIGHT... I'll leave the art to you and go back to my engines._

_FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS!_

_LOVE YOU,_

_YOUR PAPI_

“This is amazing, sweetie. Your dad gave you this?”

Sean nodded, shuffling to sit next to Finn. All previous sexual tension disappeared, and all Finn wanted to do now was enjoy this moment. Which, in itself, was new for him.

“You can, uh, skip ahead if you want.”

“Aw, but I wanna see all your beautiful art, baby,” Finn said, pouting slightly before pressing a kiss to the tip of Sean’s nose. The younger boy smiled adorably at that.

“You will… Just, what I wanna show you is toward the end.”

“Well, alright.”

Finn started paging through, still pausing every few pages to fawn over pieces that stood out.

“Fuck, Sean. This is dope. You’re so talented… Lyla?” he asked, pointing at a drawing of a girl sitting and smoking.

“Yeah, my best friend from… back home.”

“I remember you told me ‘bout her. If she looks anythin’ like your drawing, she’s cute. You and her ever, uh…?” Finn trailed off, wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

“Dude! No way! Gross. She’s like a sister to me,” Sean said, fake gagging.

“I’m just playin’, darlin'.”

It was hard to page through once he got to the point where shit hit the fan in Seattle. The pages became filled with frenzied writing and panicked scribbles.

_TOTAL NIGHTMARE_

_Can't figure out wth happened. All blurry—_

_Brett_ _and I got into a fight and then the cop came out of NOWHERE and then dad was here and he tried to ta_

_FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK_

Sean tensed when he reached that page. He was clearly uncomfortable, so Finn sucked in a breath, then skipped a shit ton of pages. The younger boy’s shoulders sagged as soon as he noticed what Finn was doing.

“Thanks…I’m not ready to relive that,” Sean whispered.

“No problem.”

_Would vampires suck bloodshot eyes as mini cocktail sausages???_

_JAN 22nd 2017_

_¿FUCK THE WHAT?_

_We bumped into these hipster punks from the Xmas market!_

_They actually work on a weed farm._

_Off the books._

_Well paid._

_They invited us._

_HAPPY FUCKING NEW YEAR!_

Finn noted the drawings of him, Cassidy, Hannah, Penny, and the dog. It was endearing to see them all as little tiny pieces of art through Sean’s eyes.

“Aw man, I love this! When’d you do this?”

“Uh, like our second or third night here… I couldn’t sleep, so I just, yeah…”

“Fuck, coulda come to me,” Finn said, taking Sean’s hand.

“I didn’t know that, back then… I do now.”

“Good.”

Finn turned the page, looking at a page full of Cassidy’s face. He let out a whistle at the drawings of her, alongside a dragon. Each drawing was beautiful and detailed. Finn tried not to focus on the fact that it was Cassidy since they were going through… something. Instead, he just focused on the fact that this was Sean’s art.

“Damn, baby. You’re fuckin’ amazin’.”

Sean blushed slightly and smiled but said nothing. 

When Finn turned the page again, he froze.

_Finn, the green philosopher_

_Leader of the group?_

_Knows everything about weed._

_He's also the sweetest guy I've ever met. Taught me everything about trimming and shit._

_Good with Daniel too…_

_Can't figure him out but he's smart. Only Hannah can drag his ass._

_And he’s… kinda cute?_

_Really cute._

_Like hanging around with him._

_A lot._

_He makes me feel safe._

_And strong. Like I can do anything. Be anything._

“Holy shit…”

_Sweetest guy he’s ever met? Me?_

“What?” Sean asked.

“Sean…”

“Fuck, you think it’s weird and embarrassing. Just, forget about it,” Sean said, reaching to grab the sketchbook.

“Hold up, s’not weird at all...”

“It’s not?”

Finn was at a loss for words, for one of the first times ever. Suddenly his palms were sweaty, and his heart was pounding, and his cheeks were burning.

_The fuck is happening to me?_

“Finn?” Sean asked softly, reaching out to grab Finn’s face, forcing the older boy to look at him.

“Sean… Is this really what you think of me?” Finn found himself asking. He needed to hear it, to believe it. 

“Well… yeah.”

“Fuck… Sean, I don’t…”

 _I don’t think you know what this means to me,_ he tried to say. But the sentence fell away as Sean looked back at the sketchbook, ripping Finn out of the trance he was in.

“Wait,” Sean said, before leaning over and skipping about ten pages ahead; to a drawing of… well…

“Is that…?”

“Yeah,” Sean whispered.

“When did you…?”

Finn cut himself off and took a deep breath, trying to slow his heart down before he exploded.

“Why are you showin’ me this?” Finn asked, tracing a finger along the outlines of the drawing. It was just a picture of him, carving wood… Finn didn’t think he’d ever experienced butterflies, but now he definitely had. Sean watched him, observed him, and thought he was worth an entire two pages in his sketchbook; the sketchbook his dad gave him. A treasured possession.

Finn was honored. And completely and totally in love. 

_The things you do to me, sweetheart..._

Sean shifted next to him.

“I wanted you to… see yourself. The way I see you. You’re amazing, and I don’t always know how to say these things. I’m not good with words; not like you. You always fucking know what to say, and I thought I could just show you instead. Even just a part of it. _I don’t know how much time we have left._ There’s so much I wanna say to you… Fuck, Finn, I – “

And Finn was dropping the sketchbook and surging forward to kiss him, pulling Sean closer by the waist.

“Fuck…”

Kiss.

“Sean…”

Kiss.

“You’re so damn perfect.”

Kiss.

“Make me crazy.”

Kiss.

“Never needed anybody like this.”

Kiss.

Sean kissed him back eagerly, pulling Finn close. He pulled hard enough that they lost their balance and toppled over, Finn nearly crushing Sean. But it didn’t matter. They didn’t care.

Finn was losing his mind. The boy underneath him whimpered and grabbed at his shoulders, tugging him down roughly. But Finn didn't want to rush. The urgency from earlier was gone, replaced by a need to take his time. This moment right here was something he wanted to savor.

“Finn, I need – “Sean whined, pulling his head back and shifting his hips upward against Finn’s, huffing impatiently before wrapping his legs around Finn’s waist.

“I know, sweetie. Me too… Gonna give you everythin’ you need. Don'tchu worry, Finn's got you.”

Hands disappeared into pants, and moans were swallowed by kisses.

It was slow and it was soft and it was clumsy and it was beautiful.

And after it ended and they collapsed into each other, Finn barely had the strength to hold himself up over Sean to avoid squashing him. But it didn’t matter, they were too happy and too breathless to care. Finn didn’t think he’d ever get enough of Sean.

He held Sean’s face in his hands, staring into those brown eyes for what felt like an eternity before kissing him deeply. Finn held onto him, tighter than he ever had before. He didn’t want to let go of this; he didn’t want to let go of Sean. Everything he felt at that moment, was sealed in that one kiss.

He wants to say, _I’m gonna miss you._

_You make me wanna do better._

_You’re everything that I need._

He wishes he could say, _I love you._

But a kiss wasn’t enough. Nothing would ever be enough to tell Sean everything that he needed to say.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“We should get back to the rest of the group,” Sean whispered, trying to untangle himself from Finn’s hold.

“Do we have to? We could just stay here, y’know,” Finn drawled, digging his fingers into Sean’s hips.

“Don’t you ever get tired?”

“Of you? Never,” Finn said, leaning in for a kiss.

Sean wanted to say argue, but when Finn kissed him like that, it was _really hard._

_But not impossible._

Sean pulled away, slightly breathless. He paused, temporarily hypnotized by the way Finn chased after his lips mindlessly, face red and sweaty.

_Fuck, how the fuck can someone be so perfect?_

He shook his head, forcing himself to be responsible.

“Come on. I don’t want Daniel to come in here looking for us.”

“Alright, alright. Let’s go.”

“Thank you,” Sean said, before giving Finn one last lingering kiss.

“Fuck, sweetie. Makin’ it real hard for me to let you go.”

Sean put on his best teasing smile, before dragging Finn out of the tent. The sun was starting to set, and the rest of the group were still scattered around the camp. Sean pulled Finn straight to where Daniel, Penny, and Jacob were sitting by the campfire.

“Hey, guys.”

“Sean! Where have you been?” Daniel asked.

“Don’t think you wanna know that, kid,” Penny said with a smirk. Daniel grimaced.

“Penny!”

“What? I’m saving him from some real ass trauma.”

“Fair enough,” Jacob said, trying to hide his laughter.

Sean barely had it in him to be embarrassed. Instead, he sat down next to Jacob, while Finn found himself on the floor between Sean’s legs.

_Not like that. Completely innocent._

“So, what’s the plan tonight, laddies?” Finn asked, lighting a joint.

“Plan?” Jacob asked.

“Yeah. It’s payday, we all got some cash. We should celebrate, have a fuckin’ party or some shit.”

“What’s this about a party?” Hannah asked, walking up to the group alongside Cassidy. She was holding a bag of chips, much to Penny’s excitement.

“Oh shit, girl. Hand it over. I got serious munchies.”

She rolled her eyes and shoved the bag into his hand before settling in one of the camping chairs.

“Finn wants to do something to celebrate getting paid,” Sean explained.

“Man, you always wanna do somethin’ crazy,” Cassidy said, dropping onto a tree stump and grabbing her guitar. Sean could sense the distinctive off-ness in her tone, but kept his mouth shut. Because that was what he did, he kept his mouth shut. He didn’t want to risk making something into an argument, for the sake of preserving this memory as something good. Happy.

“Not crazy. Jus’ fun. Somethin’ special,” Finn answered simply, not seeming bothered by Cassidy or her comment.

“Ain’t this special ‘nuff for ya?” Cassidy countered.

“It is… ‘course it is,” Finn said, reaching back and taking hold of Sean’s hand, bringing it down in front of him.

“Hey, where are Ingrid and Anders?” Jacob asked. The topic change was a welcome one, and Sean silently thanked his friend before turning his attention back to the conversation.

“No idea, probably in their tent,” Hannah said, shrugging before leaning down and grabbing a beer from the ground.

Sean wasn’t too surprised by that. Ingrid and Anders were known to keep to themselves most of the time. Most days they’d disappear together relatively early, so this wasn’t anything new to the group.

Cassidy started messing around on her guitar, and everyone just kind of… fell into silence. It was as if there was a mutual sense of understanding, that it was time to just sit and listen. Everything else was forgotten, just for a moment.

As Cassidy started singing, Sean felt Finn squeeze his hand gently. He looked down at the tattooed boy, who was now leaning back and resting his head against Sean’s thigh. He was wearing that same dopey grin he usually wore, and those blue eyes were staring at Sean like he held all the answers. To which questions, Sean wasn’t sure.

Hours passed, and the sun had set long ago. Daniel was already half asleep, leaning against Penny who was lighting another joint. Cassidy played song after song, while everyone else mostly just listened.

At least, until she put down her guitar. The spell was broken, and the sounds of nature only served as a reminder to Sean of the world beyond this camp. Beyond Finn. The world he was desperately trying to ignore, for as long as possible. He wasn’t sure he was ready to go back out there yet, nor was he sure that he would ever be ready.

“My fingers are tired, and y’all are too baked to appreciate my talent anyway,” Cassidy joked.

Sean didn’t pay much attention to the conversation for a while after that. He was admittedly distracted by the way Finn’s thumb rubbed circles over the back of his hand. He hadn’t taken his hands off of Sean the entire time, and it seemed that wherever he could reach, he would touch. Sean wasn’t complaining though. It kept him grounded, and reminded him that he was still here.

He was still here with Finn.

But the reality was that eventually, he wouldn’t be here. And this was something he wanted to remember forever. A memory that Sean actually wanted to hold on to, unlike so many memories he’d made on the run. There were things he wished he could forget, but this wasn’t one of them. Which is why Sean pulled out his sketchbook, and put pen to paper for the first time in days.

He drew everyone, even Ingrid and Anders from memory despite them not being there. They were still a part of this family, and Sean wanted them to be a part of this moment, in his memory at least. When Finn noticed him drawing, he smiled softly before twisting himself a bit to watch Sean as he worked.

It felt unusually intimate. People didn’t usually see his art, let alone see him create it. But when it was Finn, Sean didn’t mind. He _wanted_ Finn to see. He wanted Finn to be a part of it all.

If someone had told Sean six months ago that he’d be sitting around a campfire in the middle of the woods in California with a bunch of hippies, and his stoner boyfriend between his legs… he’d tell that person that they were insane. But somehow it all felt natural. Like it was exactly where Sean needed to be right now.

He couldn’t help but wonder what he’d be doing right now if what happened in Seattle had never actually happened. Would he have ever become a better brother for Daniel? Would he have ever met Finn, and the others? Probably not. But he didn’t wonder for long, because Cassidy’s voice ripped him from his thoughts.

“Man, this is all I’ll ever need.”

Most of the group murmured in agreement, except Sean. And Finn, apparently.

“What? No way. Know what we could use? Some coconut cocktails!”

“Coconut cocktails, Finn? Seriously?” Cassidy asked, pinching her nose in what appeared to be frustration.

“Yeah, don’tchu think that’d be nice?” he asked. Finn’s excitement was one of the most adorable things Sean had ever witnessed. It reminded Sean of what it felt like to have hope… To have a dream. Like before, in Seattle. His dream was to hook up with Jenn… How pathetic that dream seemed now. Sean definitely needed to find a new dream, but he wasn’t even sure what that looked like anymore. 

“You wanna drink coconut cocktails out here? On a pot farm?” Cassidy asked, dumbfounded by the entire idea.

“Naw, no way. Picture this: A kick-ass beach house, in Costa Rica. Sunshine, feet in the san, sweet ocean view…” Finn said, stretching his arms out to the side.

Sean could see it. He could see it so clearly. Finn, Daniel, and him, together on a beach. Any beach, really. For the first time in months, Sean wasn't worried about _where_ they were headed. 

“Costa Rica?” Hannah asked, looking completely confused.

“Yeah, absolutely. All of us. We’d be one big, fucked-up, happy, dysfunctional family!”

_There’s a concept._

Penny nodded, looking mildly entertained. Hannah was looking at Finn like he’d lost his mind, but she smiled regardless. Jacob was smiling at Sean for some reason. And Cassidy… was frowning.

“C’mon, what do y’all think? We could just chill, and sing, and have our damn coconut cocktails.”

“Jesus, fucking, Christ. That’s your big plan?” Cassidy snorted.

“What? Too boring for you, princess?”

“I think that sounds like my folk’s retirement plan.”

Sean felt Finn stiffen, but just as quickly as it happened it was over.

“And what’s wrong with that? Don’t you wanna have somethin’ more?” Finn challenged.

“I don’t need anything else, Finn. Not like you, always askin’ for more than you have. S’not my fault you ain’t satisfied with your life.”

The group went silent. Finn didn’t say anything, shoulders rigid. The tension was too thick, and Sean wasn’t ready to let this memory go to shit.

“There’s nothing wrong with dreaming, and wanting something more… I wouldn’t mind a coconut cocktail right now,” he said, looking directly at Cassidy. She held eye contact with him, and for a second, he swore he could see remorse. Just for a second, she looked like she felt bad. And Sean didn’t know what to make of it all. Because then she looked away pointedly, leaving Sean staring at the side of her face.

Finn tilted his head up to look at Sean, a look of surprise on his face. Sean smiled, rubbing Finn’s shoulder and Finn gave him a small smile in return.

“Well, guess that’s just perfect then,” Cassidy muttered before picking up her guitar and walking away. She didn’t meet anyone’s gaze as she left, and Sean couldn’t help but feel deflated. The smile on Finn’s face vanished almost immediately.

Everybody stayed silent for a while, watching her leave. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, and no one knew what to say. Until Hannah started laughing.

“Jesus! What was that all about?”

Finn shrugged, lighting another joint. Sean met Hannah’s gaze, before nudging his chin down toward Finn whose mood had drastically changed. The realization apparently dawned on her, and she cleared her throat.

“So… I’m trashed. Call it a night?”

Finn nodded half-heartedly. Everyone else agreed, Sean stood up and walked over to Daniel, running a hand through his hair.

“Come on, enano. Time for bed.”

Daniel murmured an agreement, and Sean picked him up carefully. Finn stood up too and offered to walk them back to their tent. Sean thanked him with a kiss on the cheek.

The group split up, each heading to their own tents. Finn walked a bit behind the two brothers, definitely lost in thought. And when they finally got to their tent, he cleared his throat.

“Uh, you guys are all safe and sound, so… I’m gonna head on back to my tent.” He turned on his heels, but Sean called out for him.

“Hold on… uh, I’m just gonna put Daniel to bed, and I’ll be right back, okay?”

Finn nodded, and Sean rushed into his tent, tucking Daniel in carefully. He brushed a strand of hair out of the little boy’s face.

“Hey, uh, Daniel… Would you mind if Finn stayed here with us tonight?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah, sure. I don’t mind,” Daniel murmured, half asleep but still smiling.

“Thanks, enano. You’re the best.”

He gave his brother a hug before heading out again. When he got back out, Finn was sitting on the ground staring at his feet.

“Hey… You okay?”

“Yeah, ‘m good…”

“You don’t sound good.”

“Well… yeah.”

Sean sat down next to him.

“Look, what Cassidy said wasn’t cool… I’m sorry.”

“S’okay, sweetie,” Finn murmured.

“No, it’s not okay.”

“Sean…”

“You’re obviously upset, Finn. Just… let _me_ be here for _you_ for once?” he pleaded, turning Finn’s head to make the older man look at him. When their eyes met, Sean smiled, hoping to reassure Finn. It seemed to work, because after that Finn agreed.

“Come on,” Sean said, standing up.

“Where are we going?”

“You’re gonna stay with me tonight.”

“Sean, that’s not- “

“I know it’s not necessary. But you’re upset, and I want to help. _I want you to stay._ You don’t have to be alone.”

“But Daniel- “

“I already asked him. He’s fine with it.”

Sean could tell that Finn was trying to come up with another excuse; another reason not to. But he ultimately came up with nothing.

“Okay… Thanks, sweetie,” Finn finally said, looking slightly less tense.

“Hey, no need to thank me,” Sean whispered, caressing Finn’s cheek and smiling when Finn leaned into the touch.

“Such a gentleman,” Finn teased, finally smiling a little bit. Sean only rolled his eyes before standing up and helping Finn up.

“Hey, Sean!”

Sean turned to see Hannah walking over to him. He never thought he’d see the day.

“Hannah?”

“What’cha doin’ here, Hans?” Finn asked, seeming just as surprised.

“Just wanted to talk to Sean,” she said.

“Aw, not me?” Finn asked, clutching at his chest and pouting.

Hannah rolled her eyes, and Finn laughed. The sound took both Hannah and Sean by surprise. Finn’s ability to bounce back from things was almost unbelievable.

“You seem... cheerful,” she said, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

“Yeaaah, well… my man here worked his magic. He’s gonna take care of me, ain’t ya sweetie?” Finn cooed, wrapping an arm around Sean.

“Of course,” Sean said, pressing a kiss to Finn’s temple, drawing a smile from the older boy.

“Uh, I’m still standing here.”

“Right, sorry Hannah. What did you wanna talk about?” Sean asked, shifting his focus back to the girl. Hannah only shifted her glance to Finn, staring at him for a few seconds before he cleared his throat.

“I’m gonna… head on in. See ya in there, sweetie?”

“Yeah, man. See you in there.”

Finn disappeared into the tent, leaving Hannah and Sean alone.

“What did you wanna talk about?” he asked, shifting his weight from side to side anxiously.

“I wanted to thank you.”

“For what?”

“For a lot of things, honestly. I underestimated you… You may not think all that much of it, but you stood up for Finn tonight when you supported him. So, thank you,” she said.

Sean didn’t know what to say. But he didn’t want to stand there quietly like an idiot, so he forced himself to say the first thing that came to mind.

“I don’t… understand. I didn’t really do much.”

Hannah laughed, shaking her head before meeting his gaze. He’d never held eye contact with her before. It was… odd.

“Cass and Finn fight a lot. Most of us just kinda let it happen, since it’s pretty normal for them. But Cassidy... I love her to death, but she doesn’t always know when to quit.”

Sean still didn’t understand, so he waited for Hannah to continue.

“Finn can handle _a lot_. But Cass has a way of getting under his skin for some reason, and he can get kind of withdrawn when that happens. He likes to deal with his shit by himself. I think tonight, you stopped that from happening,” she explained.

“Is that why he tried to get out of staying with me?”

“Probably. Finn doesn’t like to seem like he needs help, ever. The fact that he accepted the help at all is surprising.”

“Oh. Well, I’m glad I could help,” he said, scratching his head awkwardly.

She turned to walk away, before pausing and looking back over her shoulder.

“You know… The two of you are good together. You make Finn happy. And he was right; you’re a good fit for the family. I might even miss you when you leave.”

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Finn did not expect tonight to turn out the way that it did. He really thought that he and Cassidy had cleared the air that morning. It had seemed that way when they were talking, at least until the end of the conversation. But usually, when Cassidy was pissed at him, he at least knew what it was about.

This time he had no idea.

And really, Cassidy had been right. He wasn’t satisfied with his life. He wanted more. He wanted more than working on a pot farm in California. It didn’t seem like such a bad thing, to want something more. Unfortunately, Cassidy had a way of making Finn feel bad for simply dreaming.

But Sean always managed to make a bad situation better. Finn didn’t understand how he’d gotten so lucky. He wondered what kind of saint he must have been in a past life to have deserved to know someone as utterly amazing as Sean.

And as that thought crossed his mind, Sean entered the tent with a pensive look on his face. His eyebrows were scrunched together adorably; but the slight frown on his face was not as adorable.

“Hey, you good?” Finn whispered. He was careful not to wake Daniel as he sat up.

“Yeah, I’m good. Just thinking about stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?”

Sean looked around nervously.

“I don’t wanna wake Daniel…” he whispered, nudging his head towards Daniel’s sleeping figure.

“Right, shit. My bad.”

He shifted over, making room for Sean before laying on his side. As Sean got ready for bed, Finn couldn’t resist commenting on the boy’s cute little boxers. He enjoyed the way Sean’s cheeks tinted pink despite pretending not to hear the comment at all.

Once Sean was comfortable between him and Daniel, Finn scooted closer.

“Hey, Sean?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you, for all this…”

“It’s cool, Finn. You would do the same for me; you have before.”

“Yeah, s'ppose that’s true. Still… thanks, sweetie. For lookin’ out for me,” Finn whispered, before stealing one last kiss before turning away and closing his eyes.

For a while he struggled to fall asleep, still trying to figure out where things with Cassidy had gone South. He assumed Sean had fallen asleep long ago, but then he felt a hand slide around his waist. All thoughts of Cassidy fled from his mind, and all he could think about was Sean.

Sean moved up behind him, arms tightening around him and pulling him close. Finn couldn’t resist curling into the curve of Sean’s body, enjoying the way it felt to be held like this. It was something entirely new for him. Usually, he was the one wrapping his arms around Sean. But he quite liked this. He wouldn’t mind getting used to it at all. It was comforting, and safe.

And then Sean murmured something, sounding half-asleep himself. If he hadn’t been lying so close to Finn, the older boy wouldn’t have heard it at all. He figured that Sean must have thought he was already asleep; it didn’t seem like something he’d just _say_ if he knew that Finn was awake. Finn wasn't even sure if Sean knew that he was saying it at all. But he said it, and Finn was awake, and there was no doubt in his mind about what Sean had said.

“I think your dream might just be mine too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading my story if you've made it this far  
> Let me know what you thought of this chapter, and the story so far :)  
> There are only a couple more chapters to go, so we are coming up on the end of the story! 
> 
> I love you guys <3


	20. Promises

One whole week had passed since payday, and Cassidy and Finn didn’t say a word to each other at all. That left the rest of the group to try their best to ease the tension. It was easy enough, for about three days. And then it was just tedious.

But despite the issues with Cassidy, Finn seemed great. He was somehow in better spirits than ever before, after the night of the campfire.

Sean remembered how he woke up the morning after, to Finn nuzzling his head into the crook of his neck, still fast asleep. He’d never seen Finn asleep, since the one time they spent the night together Finn was awake before him. And usually, Finn was an early riser, but not that morning.

Sean didn’t mind that, at all. He stayed there, holding Finn all morning. At least until Daniel woke up, saw them cuddled up together, and called it ‘gross’ before running out of the tent. Sean didn’t miss the wide smile on the kid’s face as he left though.

It felt alarmingly normal. As if they’d done it a million times before.

There was no underlying pressure to divide his time between Finn and Daniel. The three of them felt more like a unit, than two separate pairs. His time with Daniel became his time with Finn and Daniel. In fact, it could even be argued that Sean needed to fight with Finn for Daniel’s attention. But he didn’t mind. Daniel loved Finn, which made it easier for Sean to…

 _Nevermind._ _Can’t think about that. There’s no point._

For pretty much the entire week, Finn stayed by his side. Even at work, much to Merrill’s disapproval. But Sean couldn’t care about that either, not when Finn smiled at him the way he’d been doing the entire week.

No. Getting in trouble definitely seemed worth it, when Finn smiled like that. But Merrill wasn’t there for the second half of the week, leaving them at the mercy of Big Joe. Fortunately for them, Big Joe didn’t care enough to stand around and supervise them when Merrill wasn’t around to tell him to do it.

He would assign them their duties, yell at them for existing, and then stomp around for the sake of it. Most of the time it seemed as though he was not really paying that much attention to what they did. As long as the job got done and they didn’t bother him, he didn’t say anything.

But Finn being as affectionate as he was on the job, made it really difficult for Sean to get anything done. Big Joe chastised them for it once or twice, when he caught Finn being extra touchy with Sean. Each time, Sean would get mad at him for exactly two seconds. Then Finn would hit him with that smile… and any previous anger would vanish into thin air.

But, as good as everything was, it was bound to end at some point.

One thing Sean had learned on the road was that nothing good ever lasted. It would be too easy that way. Being with Brody was good, and he left eventually. Staying with their grandparents was good, but they had to leave them behind. Just like being here at the camp with Finn and everyone else was good, but Sean knew they’d have to leave this all behind too. Staying here, being happy, was just _too easy._

‘Easy’ wasn’t in the cards for them anymore. They left ‘easy’ behind the minute that gunshot was fired back in Seattle.

Which is why it was only a matter of time before the tension between Cassidy and Finn came to a head. Sean found himself holding his breath and expecting a fight every time the two of them were near each other. But whenever it happened, Finn would act like nothing was going on, and Cassidy would make sure not to acknowledge him at all. It was civil and much easier than fighting… but it wouldn’t last.

Sean had half a mind to shove the two of them in a tent together and force them to deal with their issues. But he refrained, much to Hannah’s disappointment. She had repeatedly expressed her enthusiasm at any mention of the idea, but for some reason, Sean felt the need to let this particular incident come to a resolution on its own. Finn seemed happy as is, and Sean was too afraid to disrupt that by pushing them when they weren’t ready to deal with their problems.

Which is how they ended up here, a whole week later, in his tent in the morning before work. Finn was on his lap, drawing something on Sean’s left arm. Daniel was off somewhere with Penny, yet again. According to him, hanging out with Penny was ‘more fun than watching you and Finn make goo-goo eyes at each other’.

 _We do not make ‘goo-goo eyes’ at each other,_ Sean had argued, feeling only mildly embarrassed at the prospect of it. He never would have expected himself to be the kind of person that made ‘goo-goo eyes’ at their partner.

 _Uh, maybe you don’t. I got mad goo-goo eyes for you, sweetheart,_ Finn had teased, leaning closer and doing his best impression of ‘goo-goo’ eyes and batting his eyelashes. Sean would never admit it, but it somehow made his heart melt. Everything seemed to have that effect when Finn did it. Finn could say something as mundane as the word ‘chair’ in that sexy voice of his, and it would do exactly the same thing to Sean's heart.

Finn’s comment and Sean’s totally unsubtle reaction had settled the debate, and Daniel walked off with an I-told-you-so look on his face. Daniel knew he’d won the argument, but Sean didn’t feel like he’d lost at all. Not when Finn was still looking at him like _that._

“Dude, what are you drawing?” Sean asked, trying to pull his hand back to look at Finn’s quote-unquote, “work of art”. Finn only gripped his arm tighter, poking his tongue out before resuming his efforts.

“You’ll see it when it’s done. Patience, baby.”

Sean groaned, using his free hand to reach out and tilt Finn’s face towards him.

“Fiiiinn,” he pleaded, trying his best to imitate the look Finn gave him earlier. Oddly enough, it seemed to have the desired effect because Finn’s face reddened dramatically before he cursed under his breath and shifted in Sean’s lap.

“Gimme a second, sweetie. Shit… can’t be lookin’ at me like that,” he groaned, suddenly drawing much faster than before.

_Perfect._

“Aaaand, the final touches… Done,” he announced proudly, releasing Sean’s arm.

Sean didn’t really know what he expected to see, but somehow, he still managed to be surprised. It was a drawing of three tiny stick figures. Two tall ones holding hands, one short one, and there appeared to be something that vaguely resembled some sort of four-legged creature. They were on a beach; Sean could make out the wave-like lines in the background.

“It’s beautiful,” Sean joked, wiping fake tears away.

“Hey, now! It’s _meaningful._ See now, that handsome fella over there is you,” Finn said, pointing at the tallest stick figure.

“Ohhh, I definitely see it.”

“Exactly. This one right here is me,” Finn said, pointing to the other tall stick figure.

Sean nodded silently, fighting back a smile. Suddenly the drawing was looking less silly than before.

“Aaand, this one here is Daniel, obviously.”

“What about this one?” Sean asked, rubbing his finger over the mystery creature.

“That’s our dog, of course!”

“Our dog?”

“Well, yeah. Can’t _not_ have a dog,” Finn said, still admiring his artwork. But Sean wasn’t looking at the drawing anymore.

“Finn…”

“I know, I know. I ain’t no fuckin’ artist or nothin’, but – “

“No, Finn… I - I love it,” Sean admitted, feeling slightly ridiculous at just how true that statement was. Somehow, it had quickly the best piece of art Sean had ever seen. Nothing could compare to it. It felt like so much more than a drawing now. The beach, the dog, the three of them together… it felt like an unspoken promise.

“For real?” Finn asked, flashing Sean a toothy grin so unlike the tight-lipped smirks and lazy smiles he usually wore.

Sean answered the question with a kiss, which Finn returned with equal enthusiasm. They pulled away, breathless and smiling. Sean wasn’t sure he’d ever been this happy. Not since Seattle.

“So, was that a yes or a no?”

Sean just kissed him again, feeling Finn smile against his lips.

_Idiot._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Finn, get off please.”

“Well, if you’re offering…”

“Dude!”

“Yes, sweetie?”

Finn couldn’t help but laugh at Sean when he groaned in frustration and pushed Finn off of his lap using no force at all.

“Damn, so strong… Mmm, wanna get a lil’ rough with me, baby?” Finn teased, winking at him.

Sean’s jaw dropped and his face turned bright red before he rushed out of the tent without another word. That tore another laugh out of Finn, and then the older boy was jumping up to chase after him.

What he didn’t expect was to bump face-first into Sean’s back the second he jumped out of the tent.

“Sweetie, what the heck’re you doin’ standin’ out here like a statue?” Finn asked before he finally noticed what had Sean frozen in place.

“Uh, hey, Cassidy,” Sean greeted stiffly, his signature awkwardness jumping out as he saw her.

“Hey, Sean. Finn. Can I… talk to you for a second?”

Finn was tempted to say no. He wouldn’t try to deny that the temptation was there… Not that he thought anyone could blame him. When choosing between loving, adorable boyfriend and angry, bitchy best friend, the choice was fairly obvious. But something in the way Cassidy was standing, shifting from side to side, her eyes never meeting either boy’s eyes…

He found himself agreeing before he could think twice about it, much to Sean’s shock.

As they walked off, he looked back to see Sean running over to Hannah and pointing out what was going on, before they started talking, looking over at him and Cassidy every two seconds. It was a weird thought, knowing that they were talking about him. But it couldn’t exactly be weirder than what was going on with him and Cassidy.

They walked for a while, ending up at the spot where Big Joe’s truck usually pulled up. Finally, Cassidy turned to face him for what felt like the first time in forever.

“Sorry ‘bout all the walkin’… jus’ wanted to get away from everyone watchin’ us,” she said, shoving her hands in her pockets. That was something she only ever did when she was nervous or uncomfortable, and it somehow made Finn feel a bit better. Knowing that she was nervous made it easier for him to accept his own nerves.

“S’cool… I get it.”

And he definitely did. The rest of the group weren’t very good at being subtle about watching the two of them every time they were somewhat close to each other. Especially Sean, but purely because by now, Finn was so aware of every little habit and sign that gave away what the younger boy was feeling.

Cassidy wasn’t saying anything, and Finn didn’t have anything to say. That left the two of them standing there awkwardly for a while.

Eventually, Cassidy broke the silence.

“I, uh… I’m sorry, Finn.”

She wasn’t looking at him anymore, and that gave Finn the chance to really look at her. There were dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was even more of a mess than usual. 

“For what?” he asked. Part of him knew what she was apologizing for. But there was still a part of him that was curious as to what exactly she was sorry about.

“For… well, everything. I shouldn’t have said what I said, at the campfire the other night…”

“You’re right. You shouldn’t have.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. And for jus’… kinda bein’ a bitch to ya recently.”

Once again, the temptation to make this hard for her was there. He could have done exactly that. It would have been easy enough to refuse the apology, and continue being upset with her. But once again, there was something in the way she looked at him, that made him push away the thought.

“It’s cool.”

There was a hint of a smile on her face, and it almost seemed like everything was over, for a minute. But then Finn realized something.

“Wait, uh… Cass?”

“Yeah?”

“Why were you mad?”

Her smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared in the first place.

“I was just… I don’t wanna talk ‘bout it.”

“Cass, how’re we s'posed to fix shit, when I dunno what’s broken?”

“Finn, please.”

“You wanted to talk, Cassidy. Ain’t that right?”

She nodded.

“So, that’s what I’m doin’. I’m talkin’. Not tryin’ to fight again.”

“Finn, you don’t understand,” she whispered.

“You’re right. I don’t. That’s the problem…”

Cassidy clenched her eyes shut, balling her hands into fists, and for a brief second, he thought he’d pushed it too far. He was ready to take the question back, tell her to forget about it entirely. It didn’t seem worth it anymore. But then she opened her eyes, looking directly at him.

“You’re leaving with him… aren’t you?”

The question caught him off guard. At first, he wondered where it came from. But then everything started falling into place. Everything had been leading up to this, for weeks. It had been building, and this was _the moment_. That moment he was waiting for, where everything would start to change. And if Cassidy had asked him this question a little over a week ago, he might have been able to argue with her.

But not after that night.

Before Sean, Finn’s life felt like an endless cycle. They’d hop a train, find a job, crash for a few months, and then bail. It was a routine. They didn’t ever stay in one place for too long, and Finn enjoyed it. It was exciting.

When he first got out of jail, he took off without thinking. No family, no friends, no goal, no destination in mind. He enjoyed the idea of meeting people that would come and go. No one was in his life long enough for him to miss them. He saved himself from the trouble of having to love and then lose anybody else.

Then he met Hannah, and Cassidy, and eventually Penny. They somehow became permanent fixtures in his life. They were the only people he allowed himself to get attached to after getting out of jail.For the first time since he was thrown in jail and separated from his brothers, he felt like he might have found a family.

A real family.

The idea of settling down always seemed like a nice idea to him, but that was all it ever was. An idea.

Finn ignored the idea and allowed himself to get used to this simply being his life. Constantly moving, constantly running. He didn’t look further than the bubble they lived in, and that helped him not to want more. The less he had, the less he could lose. And that life was enough for him. Or at least, it had been. Until one seemingly insignificant trip into some random small town.

Until Sean.

Sean Diaz, with his beautiful brown eyes, and his messy hair, and his smile.

When Finn looked into those eyes, he saw _possibilities_. For the first time in forever, he could see a future for himself beyond the life he’d grown accustomed to. Suddenly, the idea of people simply coming and going was terrifying.

He _wanted_ to get attached to Sean. It was like wanting to dive headfirst into a pool without knowing how deep it was. And Finn wanted to find out. He wanted to dive, and he wanted to fall, and he did. He fell.

Hard.

Being with Sean reminded him of what it felt like to really want something.

Seeing Sean and Daniel together reminded him of how he and his brothers used to be. Before them, Finn made sure not to think of his brothers. He didn’t try to remember what that felt like. But now he remembered. He remembered that feeling of stability his brothers provided.

He felt that again, for the first time since he lost it all those years ago. And he wanted it now.

The idea of saying goodbye to Sean seemed impossible now. How does someone say goodbye to their heart? Because Finn had given Sean his heart weeks ago… months ago even. It was his to hold and to break if he decided to. And if Sean left without him, he’d be taking Finn’s heart with him.

_I think your dream might just be mine too._

He wasn’t sure exactly what Sean’s dream was… But he knew what his own dream was, and it was changing.

Some unidentified beach suddenly looked more like a bedroom, with sunlight pouring through the window onto Sean’s sleeping face. Home. Finn dreamed of home. Really having one, and coming back to it at the end of every day.

But home wasn’t a beach house in Costa Rica anymore.

“Finn?” Cassidy asked. There was no anger or bite in her tone. Just pure curiosity.

“I might be.”

It felt like something changed in that moment; whether it was between the two of them, or simply within himself, he wasn’t sure. But everything suddenly felt different. And Cassidy was looking at him differently too. Her expression was hard to decipher, and she wasn’t saying a word.

“Look, Cass… don’t be mad. I jus’, I don’t even know if Sean’s gonna want me to tag along. Y’know, he’s got a lot to deal with, and – “

“I’m not mad. I mean, I was. But I was mad ‘cause it was easier than bein’… well…” Cassidy interrupted, but her voice trailed off and she didn’t finish the thought.

“Cassidy – “

“Look, there’s no way he won’t want you to come with ‘em. He’s jus’ as crazy about you, as you are about him.”

Finn fought back a smile, despite the hope that her words gave him. He really wanted that to be true; he really wanted Sean to say yes.

“But Finn, jus’… whatever happens, you need to be careful.”

“I’m always careful, Cass,” he said.

“I mean, extra careful. This ain’t gonna be some fuckin’ straight shot to Mexico, it’s gonna be hard. You can’t make it harder for ‘em.”

“I know that. I’d never do that. I wanna _help_ them.”

“I know, Finn. But promise me, you’ll take care of them… and yourself?”

“’Course, I promise.”

She finally smiled at him, despite the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

“Damn… guess that’s it, huh?” she asked, wiping her tears away.

“Aw, you’re not rid of me yet, Cass. We still got time,” he said with a laugh, pulling her in for a hug. She froze for a second, before eagerly returning the hug with enough force to make Finn stumble back.

He didn’t care though.

“I’m gonna miss you so much, you idiot,” she whispered into his shoulder.

“Fuck, I’m gonna miss you too, Cass…”

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“They’ve been gone for a while… Should we go check on them?”

“Chill, Sean. They’ll be fine. It’s not like Cassidy’s going to beat Finn up with her guitar,” Hannah teased.

“I wasn’t worried about _that_!” Sean defended. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure what he was worried about.

“Well, stop hovering. Stay busy.”

“Right. Busy.”

Sean knew that things between Cassidy and Finn would be okay. They were close, and Hannah had said that they fought a lot. That gave him hope that this whole thing would just blow over the same way every other argument did. So, he left Hannah to do her thing and walked off towards Jacob.

“Hey, Jake!” Sean called out to the boy who was pouring himself a cup of coffee.

“Oh, hey Sean,” Jacob greeted, offering him a coffee with Sean accepted gratefully.

“Sorry I’ve been so distant recently…”

“It’s cool, you were going through something.”

“Well, yeah,” Sean said, remembering how messed up he’d been last week after the fight with Daniel. That seemed so far away now.

“You doing okay now?”

“Yeah. I’m actually really good.”

And he was. The past week had been almost perfect. Being with Finn made it easy to forget the world around them. And Sean wanted to forget the world, and stay here forever. He really did. But this wasn’t the life their dad would have wanted for them.

Staying here wasn’t an option.

But that was okay because he still had time left here. They still had time together, before they said their goodbyes.

“That’s good. I was really worried about you…” Jacob said.

“Thanks. That means a lot, Jacob.”

They sat there for a while, drinking coffee and catching up. Sean told Jacob all about the week he’d been having with Finn. Jacob only smirked at him, before teasing him about the smile that didn’t seem to leave his face when they talked about Finn.

Sean couldn’t deny that. His cheeks hurt.

“Sean, look,” Jacob suddenly said, pointing over Sean’s shoulder.

When he turned around, he saw Finn and Cassidy walking over to him, side by side. Both of them were smiling. Given the events that had been transpiring between the two of them, it was weird. So, fucking weird. But Sean didn’t want to question it. If they were good, then he was good.

“Heya sweetie,” Finn greeted, plopping himself down next to Sean.

“Uh, hey guys…”

“Hey,” Cassidy said, sitting next to Jacob.

“Everything cool?” Sean asked the two of them. Jacob wore a matching look of confusion on his face, waiting for one of them to answer.

“Everything’s cool, baby. Don’t’chu worry. S'all gonna be okay.”

"Promise?" 

"I promise."

“Oh, thank God the two of you are done fighting!” Hannah praised, walking up to the rest of the group with Penny and Daniel.

Everyone laughed at that before the conversation kicked off. Even Ingrid and Anders joined in after a while. The entire family was at the table once again, and it felt so good. For the first time in a week, there was no tension. There was no awkward silence, or need to fill in gaps in the conversation. It was perfect.

And if they hadn’t needed to go to work, they probably would have stayed there all day. But the time came for Big Joe to pick them up, and they made their way to the truck in one big group. Sean wished this happened more often, because being surrounded by these people that he’d grown to love warmed his heart.

“Alright now, the boss is in today and he’s in a bad mood. So, no fucking funny business. Got it?” Big Joe said the minute they got on the back of his truck.

Everyone nodded, but that didn’t stop them from having the time of their lives on the way to work. The dynamic of the group had finally been restored, and everyone wanted to enjoy it as much as possible.

“So, party tonight or what?” Finn joked, nudging Cassidy with his left arm.

“Too soon,” she said, rolling her eyes. But that did nothing to hide her smile.

“If we’re gonna party tonight, we need more chips. Penny scarfed the whole fucking bag last time!” Hannah added.

“I already told you, I had serious munchies!”

Sean wanted to add to the conversation, but he was too focused on something else. Daniel was on Finn’s right, and the two of them were deep in conversation. Finn said something, and Daniel threw his head back in laughter, which reminded Sean of the days leading up to what happened back in Seattle.

Their dad had been chasing Daniel around the house after Sean refused to entertain his brother because he was too busy trying to write a text to Jenn. He remembered how Esteban caught Daniel, before picking him up and throwing him over his shoulder.

 _Dad! Zombies don’t kidnap people. They eat their brains,_ Daniel had said, trying to wriggle out of Esteban’s grip.

 _Oh, well, in that case,_ their dad had said before mimicking a zombie and pretending to bite into Daniel’s head.

That was the last time Sean had seen Daniel laugh so openly.

“Alright, we’re here. Get inside, and be quick,” Big Joe grunted before slamming his truck door.

“Geez! Someone’s moody,” Cassidy snickered before the group climbed off the truck and made their way to where Merrill was standing.

Big Joe was right; he was definitely in a bad mood, but Sean didn’t care. Nothing could ruin the day, not even a moody boss.

“Alright. Everyone shut up.”

The group immediately went silent.

“Jacob, Anders, Penny. You’re cleaning up the greenhouse. Hannah, Cassidy, Ingrid. You three are trimming.”

Everyone groaned at the duties they’d been assigned, but Merrill shut them down quickly.

“Shut up and move it.”

Everyone started walking off to their tasks, but Sean, Finn, and Daniel. For a moment, Sean thought maybe Merrill forgot about them. Until Merrill turned directly to face them.

“You three. My office. Now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and showing support on this story so far<3
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated as always :)
> 
> Love you guys <3


	21. Time

Sean, Finn, and Daniel were waiting in Merrill’s office for him to show up. No one said anything, and none of them knew why they were called in. But they knew that Merrill wouldn’t appreciate them talking when he eventually came in. So, they stood there awkwardly and waited. Finn tried to reassure Sean, who was visibly tense, by giving him a pat on the shoulder, but it didn’t seem to do much.

The sound of the office door opening and closing made all three boys whip their heads around to look at Merrill as he made his way over to his desk. Big Joe entered behind him, standing in front of the door. 

“You boys are probably wondering why I called you in here, right?”

All three of them nodded.

“Well, see... This week I learned something interesting that concerns you guys,” Merrill started, looking between Finn and Sean. There was a moment of silence before Sean stepped forward slowly.

“Merrill, if this is about Finn and me this week, I swear we worked – “

“Quiet, kid.”

Sean shut his mouth, and his entire body went rigid.

“I don’t care about you and Finn. Now, as I was saying... I was in town, on some business and I saw something I thought you three might be able to explain,” Merrill said, before opening his desk drawer and pulling something out.

Finn craned his neck to try and see what it was, but then Merrill dropped it on the desk for them all to see.

“Last week’s paper.”

There, on the front cover, was a picture of Sean and Daniel. Finn didn’t have to read the headline to know what it was about.

_Shit._

“Merrill, I can explain – “

“Sean, quiet.”

“Merrill… boss – “

“I said, QUIET!” Merrill yelled, slamming his fist down on the desk making them all jump.

_Oh shit._

Finn looked over at the two brothers. Daniel was stiff, and his eyes were wide with fear. Sean looked just as freaked out, if not worse. For a moment, it felt like time had stopped. Sean turned to look at him, and his eyes were tearing.

_Baby, it’s gonna be okay._

“Now, I’ve hired lots of workers over the years. Dozens of hippies like yourselves. But I have never, _ever,_ hired a _murderer_.”

Sean paled, and Daniel’s jaw dropped. Finn’s chest suddenly felt extremely tight.

“Merrill, we didn’t – “

“Shut. The. Fuck. Up.”

_Fuck fuck fuck._

“If the police find you guys here... Do you even know what they'll do if they find this place? We’ll all be thrown in jail, kid. Did you think about that?”

Sean gulped, looking over at Finn and then at Daniel. Finn needed to say something.

“Merrill, listen- “

“Finn, shut up! How many more times do I have to tell you kids to shut up?”

“Boss, we’ve all done some fucked up shit, alright? None of us here have clean slates,” Finn said, ignoring Merrill’s command.

“This is not the same thing, Finn. None of you are being chased down by the cops, let alone for _murder_.”

“But we didn’t kill anybody! Please, Merrill,” Sean pleaded, taking another step forward. He was crying, begging.

_Shit. Think, Finn. Think._

“The police think that you did, and they’ve been tracking the two of you across the country for months. They’re still out there, looking for you, right now. What makes you boys think they won’t track you down here eventually?”

“But we were careful! We’ve been here for months, and they haven’t – “

“Sean, what did we talk about yesterday?” Merrill interrupted, stepping right up in front of Sean. Finn and Daniel both looked over at the boy, who was now staring down at his feet. He didn’t say a word.

“I warned you. I said, don’t make your shit mine. You fucked up, kid.”

Sean’s hands were trembling, and clenching into fists repeatedly. Finn swore he could see a tear fall from his face to the ground. He had to do something to try and fix this. To help them.

_I promise that this will all be okay._

“Merrill, look at them. D’you really think they killed anyone?” Finn asked, hoping to reason with the man in front of them.

“I. Don’t. Care. Finn. Like I said, if the police find them here, we all get dragged down with them. I can’t let that happen.”

“What are you gonna do?” Sean asked. Even his voice was shaky. Finn didn’t know what to do. It was a mess, and he couldn’t help but feel like it was his fault. Somehow.

Merrill put his hands together, turning away and walking to the back of the room.

“Sean, you and your brother are fired!”

“What? No! Merrill, they’re good workers,” Finn begged, suddenly feeling the panic rise up in his chest.

“QUIET! Finn, did you know about all this?”

“No! No, he knew nothing. Merrill, I swear!” Sean cried out before Finn could even open his mouth.

_What are you doing, sweetie?_

Finn wanted to open his mouth and tell Merrill the truth. He wasn’t going to let Sean make this worse for himself, or lie for him. But Merrill beat him to it, shifting his attention back to Sean.

“So, you lied to everyone here? Put us all at risk, so you could make some extra cash?”

Sean said nothing, keeping his head bowed. Daniel was shaking, and dead silent. Finn had only ever seen Daniel this freaked out that day he used his powers on Sean.

“You see? That is the problem, Sean. I told you, I have a family to look out for too,” Merrill said.

“Exactly! Then you should understand! I did what I had to do to look out for Daniel. _My_ family!” Sean yelled. The sudden outburst shocked everyone in the room.

Merrill stared at him, frowning before walking over to stand right in front of him again.

“Now you listen closely, Sean. I gave you a job, I paid you every month. All I asked was that you stayed focused. I warned you not to fuck this up. So, I suggest you shut your mouth before I make you.”

_Shit. Shit. Shit. C’mon, Finn. Think of something. Anything._

“Merrill… Boss. Listen, let’s just talk about this,” Finn tried to say, but Merrill raised a hand to silence him.

“You boys don’t seem to understand. I am the boss here. There’s no negotiation. Sean and Daniel are out.”

“No! You can’t just fire us. That’s not fair. We didn’t do anything!” Sean shouted, finally meeting Merrill’s gaze.

“I can, and I did. And maybe if your dad were alive, he could teach you something about respect,” Merrill said.

“Fuck you!” Sean spat, tears streaming down his face openly. Finn had never seen Sean this angry before.

He wanted to speak up and stop Sean from digging himself further into the ground. He knew that an outburst like this would only make things worse, as much as Merrill deserved to get his ass handed to him. But Finn was too slow and hesitated just a moment too long.

“Fuck you, Merrill. I thought you were actually okay, man. This isn’t fair!”

_Sweetie…_

“You can’t just be an asshole and then try to excuse it by saying it’s for your family! You’re just a dick!”

“Sean, don’t – “

“No, Finn! I’m not just gonna stand here and accept this bullshit!”

Merrill suddenly stood up straighter, and Finn could practically see the steam coming out of his ears. He looked over at Big Joe, who walked over to him, before turning back to Sean.

“Sean, I warned you, one too many times. I don’t care if you think I’m a dick. I don’t care if you don’t like me. I am _not_ your buddy… We tried your way, now it’s my turn.”

Merrill glared at all three of them, before walking over to the door.

“Okay, Joseph. Teach him a lesson.”

Everything after that happened quickly. Too quickly for Finn to even process. Big Joe started walking towards Sean and shoved Finn to the side when he tried to intervene. Daniel stumbled backward and fell to the ground, afraid to get in the guy’s way. Then Big Joe grabbed Sean by the wrist and threw him to the ground.

“No! Merrill, stop this! Please!” Finn begged, but Merrill didn’t even bother to acknowledge him, simply marching out of the office and shutting the door.

_Fucking asshole._

Daniel looked over at Finn with tears in his eyes.

“Finn?” he asked.

Finn looked over to see Big Joe land a swift kick to Sean's stomach.

_Shit._

_This is not happening._

Sean was being lifted up by the collar of his hoodie, and Big Joe pulled his fist back, clearly going in for a punch. But before Finn could even react, something in Daniel seemed to snap. Finn looked over to see him clenching his fists; his whole body was shaking.

"Daniel, don't - " Finn tried to whisper, but it was too late.

The ashtray on the desk started shaking before it was flung across the room and hitting Big Joe in the head. He dropped Sean to the ground again and whipped around to look at Finn and Daniel, face red with anger.

“Alright, which one of you fuckers did that? Was it you, you little punk?” he asked, marching towards Daniel.

Finn heard Sean crying out for Daniel. He looked over to see Sean trying to get up and wincing in pain. Daniel let out a whimper, stepping back in fear. The lights started flickering ever so slightly, and Finn knew that he needed to do something right then and there before Daniel got hurt or exposed his power.

_I won’t let him hurt Daniel, sweetie. I promise._

He stepped forward in front of Daniel, causing the lights to stop flickering.

“Big Joe, it was me, I – “

And the last thing he saw before everything went black was Big Joe’s fist was flying towards his face.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Finn!”

As soon as Finn stepped in front of Daniel, Sean knew what he was doing. He tried to call out, do something, anything to stop it. But he couldn’t; it happened too fast.

After Finn took the punch for Daniel, he fell to the floor. Out cold. Sean heard Daniel yell Finn’s name, and drop to his knees beside the tattooed boy. Seeing Finn lying on the floor, unconscious, set off something in him. As soon as Big Joe left the room Sean was up and on his knees, crawling over to Finn, despite the pain in his own body.

Hannah, Cassidy, and Ingrid came running in as soon as Big Joe left. They’d heard the commotion, and started firing questions at Sean. He didn’t know how to answer every question, so he just told them that Merrill had fired them.

That only brought up more questions, but Sean couldn’t come up with any answers for them. He was too focused on Finn, waiting anxiously for him to wake up. Although Finn was only out for a few seconds, it felt like forever.

The second those blue eyes were open; Sean was on top of Finn and pulling him in for a hug. Finn grunted in surprise but returned the hug after about five seconds of confusion.

"Shit, Finn... Are you okay?" Sean asked, pulling back and grabbing the older boy's face to get a look at his eye. Finn merely grunted in response, wincing slightly as Sean touched the area that was beginning to redden. That was definitely going to bruise.

“Easy, lovebirds. No one’s dying,” Hannah said somewhere in the background, but Sean took no notice of her. He continued holding onto Finn as if it was the only thing keeping him from drifting away.

Merrill dismissed everyone earlier than usual and ordered Sean and Daniel to pack up their shit and be gone by the next morning. Both boys nodded. There was no point in fighting it anymore.

“Why’d you do that, sweetie?” Finn asked as they started driving back to camp. His head was rested on Sean’s shoulder as he spoke, only loud enough for Sean to hear.

“Do what?”

“Tell Merrill I didn’t know ‘bout… y’know…”

_Because I couldn’t drag you down with us. Because I wanted to protect you for once. Because you would do the same for me. Because…_

“I just… didn’t see the point in both of us getting fired. At least this way you get to keep your job,” was the answer Sean settled for.

Finn didn’t say anything after that, merely nodding his head slightly before reaching over and letting his hand rest on Sean’s thigh.

Daniel was uncharacteristically quiet the entire ride back to camp. Sean noticed and nudged Finn who looked over at the younger boy pensively. When he looked back at Sean, his eyebrows were scrunched together, the confusion evident on his face. Sean merely shrugged, before looking back at his little brother.

When they got back to camp, Daniel was gone in a flash, heading straight for the tents. Finn and Sean exchanged a look, before following him together.

“Enano? What’s going on?” Sean asked as soon as they got to their tent where Daniel had rushed to.

Daniel turned to face them, and a single tear fell from his eye.

“It’s my fault…”

“What? No. How can you say that?” Sean asked, dropping to his knees in front of Daniel.

“Because I should have done something more. I could have – “

“Listen, little man,” Finn interrupted, dropping to his knees as well.

“There was nothin’ you coulda done that wouldn’t have made things worse for the two of you.”

Sean smiled appreciatively at Finn, before turning back to his brother.

“Finn’s right, you know… You did everything you could. It’s not your fault.”

Sean tried to ignore the nagging feeling in his heart, telling him that it was actually his own fault. That maybe, if he hadn’t snapped, no one would have gotten hurt. Finn wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Just like in Seattle… if he had just, stayed quiet, held his tongue when Brett was being an ass. Maybe then his dad wouldn’t have…

_Stop. Don’t do this. Don’t go there._

“Seriously, enano. Don’t blame yourself. Please?”

Daniel nodded, and then Sean was pulling him in for a hug. They stayed like that for a few seconds, but suddenly it felt wrong… incomplete. Like there was a piece missing.

He looked over at Finn, who was smiling at them, before yanking him forward into the hug as well.

_Much better._

Finn pulled away first, clearing his throat.

“Uh, I’m gonna go talk to the others real quick. Fill ‘em in. I won’t… tell ‘em the details, and shit. That cool?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Sean whispered, still holding his brother.

“Alright. Come find me later, sweetie?”

“Of course.”

And then Finn was gone, leaving the brothers alone.

For a moment, Sean wished they could just stay silent. Not talk about it, forget everything that happened, and just move on. But they couldn’t. Not when there was so much to say. So much to think about.

“Sean, I’m sorry…”

“Daniel, really, there’s nothing for you to be sorry about.”

“But – “

“No buts. You protected me today, Superwolf. You were like... my very own personal superhero,” Sean said proudly.

“But I used my power… You always say – “

“I know what I said, but you looked out for me today… I’m not mad. I should be thanking you, enano.”

And he wasn’t. For months he’d drilled that rule into Daniel’s head. Hide the power. Always. But Sean would be lying if he said he wasn’t grateful for Daniel’s tendency to ignore the rules this one time.

“Really?” Daniel asked.

Sean nodded, before pulling him in for another hug.

They hugged for a while, and Sean was all too prepared to continue. He wished he could hold onto this moment forever. But then Daniel wriggled out of his arms.

“Sean?”

“Yeah?”

“Do we have to leave now?”

Sean was dreading this conversation, for a multitude of reasons. He wasn’t ready to have it, it was too soon. They were supposed to have more time…

But things change.

Sean sighed, before running a hand through Daniel’s hair.

“We still have time… We still have tonight.”

“One night…” Daniel whispered, staring off into the distance.

_One night._

_Fuck._

“Listen, it’ll be fine. We managed to make a bit of money while we were here, and we’ll be well-rested and ready for the road tomorrow. It’ll be okay…”

He wanted to believe that it would be okay. Honestly, he was trying to convince himself. It didn’t feel like everything would be okay, not at all. Thinking about leaving... He couldn’t do it. They were supposed to have more time. Sean _needed_ more time. But that didn’t matter to the universe apparently, because now they were officially out of time.

They had to leave _tomorrow,_ and Sean still had no clue where they were going or how they would be getting there. And he had exactly one night to decide, before they took off, without a plan.

_Fucking great._

Not to mention the fact that now he was being forced to say goodbye…

He wasn’t ready.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“Damn… Merrill is such a fucking prick,” Hannah spat, lighting a cigarette.

“Not that we didn’t know that before,” Jacob added. The rest of the group murmured in agreement, before discussing the issue amongst themselves. But Finn wasn’t listening. He kept looking over at Sean and Daniel’s tent, waiting for one of them to appear. But so far, nothing.

He fought the temptation to go in there, knowing that the brothers needed a moment alone. But that didn’t stop him from thinking about it and wondering what they were talking about.

Cassidy reached a hand out to grab his arm.

“Finn, you okay?”

“Yeah… ‘m fine.”

She looked at him for a moment, before she, Penny, and Hannah exchanged a look. Finn knew that look all too well. That was a look that promised an interrogation.

After a while, Ingrid and Anders took their leave. Jacob excused himself too, and made his way over to Sean and Daniel’s tent, probably to talk to Sean.

That left Penny, Cassidy, and Hannah. All three of them were staring at him expectantly.

“Okay, spit it out, would ya?”

“What are you gonna do now?” Hannah asked.

“I, uh… What do you mean?”

“Cut the crap, Finn. They know somethin’s goin' on with you, and I already know the answer. So just… tell ‘em,” Cassidy said. There was a hint of sadness in her voice, but she did her best to hide it. Finn chose to ignore it for the moment because if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to push through this.

How do you tell your family that this might be your last night together?

If you’re Finn McNamara, there’s only one answer. Get straight to the point.

“I wanna go with them.”

“Uh, what?” Hannah asked, dropping her cigarette in shock.

“I wanna go with them.”

“I heard you the first time, smartass,” she retorted.

He laughed at that, hoping it would diffuse the tension, but they all just stared at him.

_Fuck._

This was the part that Finn was dreading. He hated goodbyes, and he liked to avoid them whenever he could. But just leaving without saying goodbye… it felt wrong. After everything the four of them had been through, Finn couldn’t just bail. They deserved more than that. They deserved honesty. An explanation. Something.

“I love him.”

They continued staring at him, not saying a word.

“And I’ve been thinkin’ about it for weeks… Tryin’ to figure out what I wanted. Was hard, figurin’ it out. But I know what I want.”

There was another moment of awkward silence. At least until it was finally broken.

“Well, it’s about fucking time man,” Penny cheered, standing up and pulling Finn in for a hug. As he hugged Finn, he muttered, “Was wonderin’ when you’d come out and say it.” Finn couldn’t hold in the laugh that escaped him then.

“Shit, man… Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Hannah asked.

“Well, to be fair, I haven’t even told him yet.”

“WHAT?” all three of them shouted.

“What?” Finn echoed in genuine confusion.

“You mean the two of you been actin’ all fuckin’ loved up for months and haven’t even admitted it to each other?” Cassidy asked incredulously.

“Idiots,” Hannah muttered, before laughing to herself.

“Damn, y’all are slow as hell…” Penny teased.

The three of them started providing him with words of encouragement, telling him that he needed to get off his ‘skinny ass’ and tell Sean how he felt. They were so supportive, so enthusiastic, that for a minute Finn was stunned into silence.

This was his family. And this was almost a goodbye.

Almost. But not just yet. There was still time…

Plus, he hadn’t even talked to Sean about the entire idea. The realization hit him like a truck. And he told the three of them that much.

“You mean you haven’t even asked him if you could come with?” Hannah asked.

Finn nodded, and all three of them groaned in unison.

“Okay, okay, I know. I’m gonna talk to him about it, tonight. Jus’ wasn’t expectin’ it to happen so soon. Thought we still had some time…”

“Well, hey… If he lets you tag along, then you’ll have all the time in the world.”

_All the time in the world…_

“Yeah… Here’s to hopin’, right?” Finn said, raising the can of beer in his hand before taking a swig.

“Shit, man. I’m happy for you,” Hannah said.

“For real?”

“Fuck, yeah. Obviously. I want you to be happy.”

“Damn… Thank you, Hans,” Finn said softly. She nodded in response, attempting to come off as nonchalant. Typical Hannah. But the smile on her face was impossible to hide.

“Well, you already know I’m happy for you too,” Penny said with a shrug, patting Finn on the shoulder.

“'Course, Penny. Thanks, man.”

He looked over at Cassidy, who’d fallen silent when the conversation took a turn towards the serious shit. Finn kind of knew where she stood already, considering their talk this morning.

“Cass?”

“You already know how I feel… I’m really gonna miss you, a whole fuckin’ lot. But, if goin’ with Sean is what you want, then who am I to stand in yer way?”

“Thanks, Cassidy.”

She smiled, before turning away. Finn took one look at the three of them, before taking a deep breath.

“I’m gonna miss you all, so fuckin’ much…”

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sean was busy packing all their things when he heard the tent zipper being opened. Daniel was already out of the tent, wanting to enjoy one last night with the group. Sean let him run off and took it upon himself to get everything ready for them to leave early the next morning.

“Hey, uh, Sean… Can we talk for a second?” Jacob asked, peeking his head into the tent awkwardly.

“Sure, come on in.”

Jacob climbed in slowly, taking in the state of the tent.

“Damn… you’re really leaving.”

Sean didn’t look at him… couldn’t look at him. He didn’t want to say goodbye. Not yet.

“Yeah…” he mumbled, shoving anything he could grab into the backpack without paying much attention.

“Can’t believe Merrill fired you guys… what a jackass.”

Sean muttered an agreement, trying to steady his breathing. The tent was becoming hotter, the air was thicker.

It was too soon, too fucking soon. He wasn’t ready. They didn’t have enough money, and they had no idea where they were going. The thought of going out into the world tomorrow, alone again, was terrifying.

“Sean? Are you okay?”

“I just… I can’t do this, Jake,” Sean finally said, dropping the backpack to the floor and hiding his head in his hands.

“What do you mean? Sean, come on… Talk to me.”

Sean didn’t know where to start.

There was too much to say, too much to feel, too much to even process.

“I can’t do it, Jake. I don’t know what to fucking do.”

Arms wrapped around him, pulling him into a hug that was warm and comforting. Sean let himself sink into it, releasing a shaky breath. It wasn’t enough to fix everything that was broken, but it was a start. A step in the right direction.

“Listen, Sean… I don’t know what happened in that office today,” Jacob started, and Sean tensed slightly.

“But whatever happened… I’m so sorry,” Jacob finally finished.

Sean was pulling himself out of the hug then, shifting to look at Jacob.

“What are you sorry for, dude?”

“I-I don’t know. I just, you don’t deserve this. I wish I could help you…”

_Oh, Jake…_

Before Sean could think about it, and second guess himself, he was sitting up straight and clearing his throat.

“Hey, Jake… There’s something you should know.”

He told Jacob everything. No details left out. Every single thing.

Seattle, the cop, his dad, Daniel’s power, all of it.

It was a huge risk to take, telling Jacob. But Sean wasn’t ready to part ways when he hadn’t been entirely honest with the boy who had somehow wormed his way into becoming one of his best friends.

When he finished retelling their story, he finally relaxed his shoulders and folded his hands together in his lap. There was a moment of silence, in which Sean simply enjoyed the relief that washed over him. At least, until the anxiety kicked in. Jacob's jaw was practically hanging on the ground, which was usually not the best sign.

“Jake? Say something, please…”

“I don’t even know what to say,” Jacob said, rubbing his eyes with his hands.

“Saying that you believe me might be a good place to start. That you don’t think I’m a crazy murderer, maybe…” Sean found himself saying. It was only half a joke.

“What? Of course, I believe you. Why is that even a question?”

“I just thought that maybe – “

“Sean… I believe you, alright? I know you’re not capable of killing anyone.”

“Thanks… That means a lot.”

“Don’t mention it, seriously. I’m just glad you even told me,” Jacob said, patting him on the shoulder. Sean merely nodded, wondering how he got so lucky with finding such accepting people. But then Jacob was grabbing his shoulder, and Sean looked up at him.

“I’m, uh, I’m really sorry… That all of that happened to you. I wish I could… I wish… I’m sorry,” Jacob said.

“Dude, no. Stop. There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. None of what happened was your fault, at all.”

Jacob went silent again, before shifting slightly and meeting Sean’s gaze with a newfound intensity.

“You know that it wasn’t your fault either, right?” he asked.

The question was so simple. It really was. And yet, it had Sean tearing up. It was as if Jacob had read all of his thoughts, and took the question right from his mind. He couldn’t even find it in himself to come up with an answer; mostly because he was still convinced deep down that it _was_ all somehow his fault.

Despite his efforts to keep those thoughts out of his mind, they were rooted in his mind already. Spreading and spiraling out of control with every passing day. Especially after what had happened back in Merrill’s office; yet another example of how Sean’s inability to keep his mouth shut got someone hurt.

“I don’t… Jake, I really don’t. I can’t help but think that maybe if I hadn’t…”

“Sean – “

“Maybe if I hadn’t confronted Brett that day, maybe – “

“Sean – “

“Things might have been different, and – “

“Sean, stop – “

“Maybe then my dad would have been alive. Maybe it _is_ my fault that he’s… _dead_.”

“It’s not.”

_He sounds so sure… How can he be so sure?_

“But – “

“Sean, just… listen. You can’t spend the rest of your life wondering how things would have played out if you chose differently. You chose to stand up for your brother to a racist asshole. Maybe in the end everything went wrong, but you can’t assume that things wouldn’t have happened that way if you chose differently.”

“But Jake… the only reason that the cops came was because me and Brett were fighting. And I threw the first punch…”

“And if you hadn’t, he probably would have done it himself. The important thing is that you did right by Daniel. Brett’s not here, the cop’s not here… your dad’s not here. But Daniel is. You can’t let everything from that day make you lose sight of what’s important _now_.”

_Daniel is here. Daniel is what’s important now. I did right by Daniel._

"Daniel."

"Exactly. It's always been Daniel first, everything else second. You protected him that day."

“I… You’re right, Jake. Fuck, I dunno how you do it,” Sean said, releasing a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“It’s a talent… Seriously though, you _need_ to stop blaming yourself for what happened that day.”

“I know…”

“You looked out for Daniel, Sean. You stood up for him. Just like you stood up for yourself today. There is _nothing_ wrong with that.”

_There is nothing wrong with that._

“Thanks, Jake… Seriously. I, uh… I needed this,” Sean whispered.

“It’s okay… Don’t worry about it, Sean. Really. I’m just… glad I could help.”

Both boys were suddenly hyper-aware of how tense things had become. The atmosphere in the tent was thick and suffocating. But Sean didn’t have it in him to say a word and break the silence that had fallen over them. Luckily, Jacob did.

“So… Daniel has a _superpower_?” Jacob asked.

“Yeah. Pretty much.”

“Wow… And do you have any idea where it came from? Or why he has it?”

“No… I mean, I figured it started in Seattle. When my dad…” Sean trailed off, not able to even repeat that part of the story, before continuing, “The shock must have just… triggered something.”

“Right. Yeah, that makes sense. I just… There’s always a reason for these things, y’know?”

“What do you mean?” Sean asked.

“I mean, it’s usually not just some random thing. If Daniel has this power, then maybe there’s a reason for it. An explanation, of some kind.”

The idea wasn’t entirely new to Sean. He had thought about it before; he’d tried to figure out why Daniel had the power. He’d even tried to check if he had a superpower of his own. But nothing ever came of those thoughts, so Sean just put them away.

“I mean… it’s possible. But it doesn’t matter. Random or not, he has a superpower. And a kid with superpowers is even harder to deal with than a regular kid. Daniel can be… impossible, at times.”

Jacob laughed at that, and Sean found himself laughing too. It felt good, to laugh about it all. For once, it wasn’t all serious and life-changing. It was just too friends, bonding over how impossible younger siblings could be.

But the laughter died down, as Sean remembered where they were. They weren’t just two friends bonding over impossible younger siblings.

“I hope that… you guys can figure it all out. And make it to where you need to be,” Jacob said softly, looking down into his lap.

“Hey,” Sean said, shifting and grabbing his friend by the shoulder.

Their eyes met and for a moment, they simply stared at each other. In all the months since their friendship started, they’d never been so… quiet. They would always be talking, joking, laughing… something. There were never gaps in the conversation. Everything flowed, constantly. Being friends with Jacob was easy for that reason.

And it was at that moment that Sean realized just how much he was going to miss Jacob. All this time, he was worried about saying goodbye to Finn. But fuck, saying goodbye to Jacob was going to hurt too.

Sean never thought he’d have any friends beyond Lyla. Lyla was his only real friend back in Seattle. He never expected to meet anybody else that would be able to come close to the kind of friend that she was. Especially not someone like Jacob, who in the beginning seemed so quiet and reserved… Not at all the kind of person that would be interested in even making friends.

And yet, here they were.

“Thank you… Not just for tonight. For everything. I’m really gonna miss you, Jake…”

Jacob stared back at him, eyes watering slightly, before whispering, “Me too, Sean.”

They were hugging again in an instant, and it was everything Sean needed at that moment.

But this wasn’t goodbye. Not yet. They still had time.

_One more night._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

The sun was starting to set when Hannah, Penny, and Cassidy stood up and headed for the campfire, leaving Finn alone in the kitchen. He thought about going with them, meeting Sean there, but it didn’t feel right. So, instead, he went to his own tent, to start packing his things.

Maybe it was a bit presumptuous, but Finn didn’t care.

He wanted to be prepared, just in case.

As he packed, he noticed the letter from his Parole Officer. He didn’t even have to look at it, to remember what it said. Finn had read that letter many times already. It helped to see that someone else… believed in him. He didn’t necessarily agree with Kareem’s opinion of him, and always thought that the man gave him more credit than he deserved.

_I love being proved wrong and you did it._

_You showed me that on the other side of your pain and anger, you wanted to learn and help others who feel alone in the world and without support._

Knowing that there was somebody out there who didn’t look at him and think, “What a failure” felt good. Somebody looked at him and saw more than a selfish, dirty hippie. And having that person back when he first got out of jail meant the world to Finn. Most people looked at a kid fresh out of juvie and saw a criminal. A misfit. That was all Finn was to people when he got out. No one knew why he was in juvie. No one knew that he was basically forced into a lifestyle that he never would have wanted for himself.

He was only nine years old when their dad roped him into the 'family business' in the name of family obligation. Finn didn't know better, back then. And by the time he was old enough to know what was really going on, it was far too late to undo the damage. 

No one saw that.

Truthfully, he was afraid to even try. Their dad had become a different person by then, unrecognizable. Gone were the days when his father would pick him up from school and take him out to get some ice cream.

The afternoons spent watching the game with his father and brothers turned into nights curled up in the corner of his room, hiding in the shadows or crying in his brothers' arms.

No one saw that.

Finn grew to fear his father.

But no one saw _that_.

_I do hope you find a place to settle into and call your home._

_I know you will._

When he first read the letter, that line stood out to him. It seemed so utterly ridiculous, and it was something he spent nights laughing over. Kareem always had crazy ideas and seemed to think Finn was somehow capable of settling down.

Finn thought it was crazy. But now everything was different.

 _Time changes things, I guess._

He shoved the letter into his bag, along with everything else in his tent. Finn was debating whether or not to pack up the sleeping bag or not when he heard someone clearing their throat.

He turned to see Daniel looking at him. More specifically, at his bag.

“What are you doing?” the little boy asked.

Finn didn’t know how to answer that. He had no idea what he was doing. Plus, telling Daniel about his big plan before he talked to Sean about it seemed just about the worst idea ever.

“Uh, jus’… Tidyin’ up, doin’ some housework, y’know?”

_That was a weak-ass excuse... Maybe he'll buy it?_

Daniel cocked his head to the side.

“Why is your stuff all packed away?”

_Stop being so fuckin’ smart, kid._

“I was actually… unpackin’ it all. Yeah. Unpackin’.”

_Totally gonna buy that one._

Daniel raised an eyebrow suspiciously, before climbing inside the tent and sitting down.

“Are you going somewhere, Finn?”

“What? Nah, little man… ol’ Finn’s not goin’ anywhere.”

_Not without you, anyway._

Daniel smiled at that, before shifting slightly, his gaze falling on Finn’s eye which he knew must have been bruised by now.

“I’m sorry you got hurt because of me,” the little boy whispered.

_These Diaz brothers and their habit of blaming themselves…_

Finn sighed, shaking his head before sitting down in front of Daniel.

“Daniel… I want you to listen now, and listen good. You have absolutely nothin’ to feel sorry about. I wasn’t gonna let Big Joe hurt you, not for a second. That was my choice, and I’d make it again if given the chance.”

Daniel stared at him with wide, teary eyes, and Finn pulled him in for a hug. They’d hugged before, but never like this. And suddenly, Finn remembered what it was really like to have a brother. Being around Sean and Daniel reminded him of his brothers…

But this moment right here didn’t feel like a reminder of something he once had and lost.

Instead, it was a reminder of what he had become, and what he had found.

“Nothin’ to apologize for. You protected your brother, and I protected you. You understand?”

He could feel Daniel nod against his shoulder.

_I won’t ever let anyone hurt you, Finny._

"I won't ever let anyone hurt you, Danny."

…………………………………………………………………………………………

When Sean was finished packing everything that they wouldn’t be needing that night, he and Jacob left the tent. They were making their way over to the campfire to catch up with the rest of the group when Daniel and Finn emerged from Finn’s tent. Daniel saw them first and ran straight toward them with a smile on his face. Finn walked slightly behind him, chuckling to himself at the little boy’s excitement.

“Hey Sean, hey Jacob!” he greeted, seeming in much better spirits than he’d been when Sean last talked to him.

“Sup Jake, my man," Finn said.

“Hey, Finn."

"Sweetie, you doin’ okay? How's your stomach feelin'?” Finn asked when he arrived at Sean’s side moments later. It was just like that day when Daniel accidentally used his power on him, and Finn kept making sure he was okay. Finn always made sure he was okay.

“I'm okay... Kinda hurts, but Big Joe didn't get a chance to do that much damage.” 

Finn smiled at him before looking between him and Jacob.

“Where are y’all headed?” Finn asked the two boys.

“We were gonna go meet up with the rest of the crew at the campfire,” Sean said, pointing to where the rest of the group were sitting.

“Cool! Sean, can I go too? I know it’s late, but it’s our last night here and I – “Daniel started, but Sean cut him off.

“Of course, enano. I get it. Just, not too late, alright? We need to leave early tomorrow.”

Daniel nodded and then before anyone could say anything, he was running off towards the rest of the group. Sean couldn’t help but shake his head at his little brother’s energy. But it was good to see, after everything that happened today. At least Daniel was still Daniel. And he was still okay.

_Thanks to Finn._

Speaking of which, Finn was looking at Sean and Jacob expectantly. He looked… nervous? Sean had only seen him like this a handful of times, but he knew Finn well enough to know the signs.

“Hey, uh… Jake, mind if I steal Sean for a while? We’ll, uh… catch up with y’all later.”

Jacob looked between the two boys before some realization unknown to Sean seemed to dawn on him.

“ _Ohhhh_ , right. Yeah, of course. I’ll… tell the group you guys are… yeah,” Jacob said, smirking slightly before laughing to himself. He pulled Sean in for a hug before stepping back and wagging his eyebrows suggestively. Sean gave him a questioning look, but he only rolled his eyes before turning and walking off.

"Have _fuuun_ ," he called out as he walked away.

“What’s that all about?” Sean asked. Finn didn't answer the question. He was too busy laughing to himself like there was some private joke going on that he wasn’t in on. Sean turned to face him, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Finn said, still laughing.

“Finn.”

Finn looked at him for a moment, before shaking his head.

“He probably thought I wanted to steal you away so we could have some, uh, _special time_ ,” he said, putting emphasis on the last two words.

“What do you mean, ‘special time’?”

“Sex, sweetheart.”

_Oh._

_OH._

Sean knew he was blushing. He could feel it. His entire body was warm at the thought. His knees were weak, and he was almost certain that he'd crumble to the ground.

“Relax, we don’t have to. S’not why I wanted to steal you away,” Finn said, taking Sean’s hand.

_Oh._

“Unless that’s what you want, baby,” he added with a wink.

_Fuck._

Finn was laughing again, and Sean’s face was burning hotter than ever before. It was impossible to figure out if Finn was actually… suggesting that.

_Does he… want to?_

Sean wasn’t sure he was ready for _that_. He wanted to… definitely. But, it didn't feel like the right time. He wasn't worried though, because he knew Finn would never force him to do anything. Finn always gave him the choice.

And before he could dwell on it any more, Finn was pulling him by the hand and walking towards the trees.

“Where are we going, Finn?” Sean asked.

“Aw, sweetie. Can’t it be a surprise?” Finn asked, pouting slightly.

“Okay, fine… should I close my eyes or something?”

“Nah, nothin’ like that. Jus’… follow me, alright?”

And when Finn smiled at him like that, Sean was helpless.

Utterly helpless to that smile, those eyes, that charm… Finn.

How could he ever consider saying no?

Sean followed Finn without a second thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Just wanted to say thank you for reading x  
> There's only one more chapter to go, so stay tuned <3  
> Comments and kudos are appreciated!  
> Hearing what you guys think about each chapter and knowing if my writing made you feel something always makes my day :)


	22. The Beginning

“Jus’… follow me, alright?”

When Sean nodded silently and followed behind him without question, Finn couldn’t help but smile. He squeezed Sean’s hand as they walked, which had become their thing somewhere along the line. He didn’t know when, or how, but it did. But there were some things that Finn did know.

And there were things Finn wanted to say.

No… _needed_ to say.

And this was his last chance. He couldn’t mess this up. Tonight, he was going to take the plunge. It was time to dive headfirst, and hope he didn’t hit his head on the way down.

They walked for what felt like hours, through the trees, not even following a path. Finn didn’t need a path to lead him where he needed to go. He knew the way by heart and followed the feeling blindly. It was like second nature, maneuvering through the trees with ease, Sean’s hand in his.

“Finn? Are you sure you know where we’re going?” Sean called out through the dark.

“Don’t worry, sweetie. We’re not lost. Trust me,” Finn said, not needing to look back to know that Sean was giving him thatlook. The same look he gave whenever he was confused. Finn didn’t blame him for being a bit confused since they seemed to be walking aimlessly through the woods, but he didn’t stop; he didn’t slow down. They kept moving.

The sun had set long ago, and the way was shrouded in darkness. But that was okay. Finn didn’t need any light to find his way. He’d found his light months ago, and he was holding onto it as if his life depended on it.

“Feels like we've been walking forever. Where are we going?”

“You’ll find out soon enough.”

“Why can’t I know now?”

“Not knowin’ is the best part, sweetie.”

As they edged closer to where they needed to be, Finn noticed the woods changing. The trees were parting, making way for the moonlight to shine through, lighting the way forward. He looked back and halted his movement, mesmerized by the way Sean looked. Finn could see the moon in his eyes.

_Fuck._

Screw the moon.

Finn could see his entire life in those eyes. Everything he wanted; everything he needed. It was all there, waiting for him, calling to him.

“What’s wrong?” Sean asked. Finn didn’t answer, only pulling him forward and grabbing his face with both hands.

“The moonlight suits you, baby,” Finn whispered, before closing the gap between their lips.

Sean gasped against his lips, but Finn used the opportunity to press closer, dive deeper. This wasn’t part of the plan at all, but Finn didn’t care. He couldn’t. Not when he could taste his future on Sean’s lips.

He felt Sean hesitate slightly, before relaxing into the older boy’s hold and matching his kiss with an equal sense of urgency. Finn couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride, in knowing that he’d earned Sean’s trust enough to enjoy this kind of moment; to be privy to the knowledge of what Sean was like when he let go of his fears and worries for a moment and just… let himself feel good.

It felt like a surrender of control when Sean let himself be guided by Finn, through the woods, or even just in moments like these. The happy sigh that escaped Sean’s lips whenever he melted into a kiss was one of the most adorable things Finn had ever heard. Finn wanted to surrender too; rejoice in the sensation of feeling Sean against him, and let go of his control. But if he did that, they’d never leave these woods.

So, he pulled away, leaving them both breathless. And when Sean opened his eyes, Finn knew what those songs were talking about.

Songs about eyes that pull you in, and call out to you in the dark.

Sean’s eyes.

They were the window to everything Finn wished he could have. The life he wanted for himself. And maybe, just maybe, he could have it.

“What was that for?” Sean asked.

“I don’t need a reason to kiss you.”

Sean smiled, and even in the dark, Finn could see hints of pink on his cheeks. Even after all these months, Sean blushed so easily. Some things never change.

Now that Finn had come to terms with his feelings, and what he wanted, it was hard to understand why it took so long to get here. It should have been fast. Sean had him from the very first look, the first word, the first touch.

How had it taken Finn so long to figure out what he needed?

It had been right in front of him the entire time.

“C’mon, we’re almost there,” Finn whispered, before turning and running, still pulling Sean along. He could hear Sean laughing now, enjoying it, letting go, and running freely. They left all of their doubts in the woods, taking off together.

Running from cops. Running from his old life. Running from mistakes. Running from responsibility. Running from bad memories; memories of his father.

Finn was used to running.

But not like this.

This was freedom.

He wasn’t running away anymore. He was running toward something. Chasing something. Chasing a dream, an idea, that always seemed unattainable.

But now, maybe it wasn't all that impossible anymore.

“We’re here, laddie!” Finn called out, as they approached their destination.

“The lake?”

“Yessir, c’mon,” Finn said, before running to the edge of the water.

This was Sean’s last night here, and hopefully his too. Finn wanted it to be memorable, and he wanted it to be fun. What better way to have fun than to go for a late-night swim?

The serious talk could wait a while.

If things went to shit after this, then at least they’d still have tonight. At least they’d still have this moment to hold onto. It could be a story for them to tell one day when they look back on the time they spent out in the woods. Hidden from the world, and far away from all the awful things that brought them here. This was their safe haven. A bubble.

Shelter from the reality of tomorrow.

Finn immediately kicked off his shoes and socks, before pulling his shirt off. He could feel Sean’s eyes on him, burning holes in his back.

“Dude, what are you doing?” he heard Sean ask. Finn wondered if Sean would ever come up with a new nickname for him. But then again, Sean could call him absolutely anything and he’d melt. Even ‘dude’. It was so simple, and so undeniably Sean.

And Finn loved it.

“What does it look like I’m doing, sweetheart?” Finn asked, turning back to wink at Sean before shoving his pants past his hips. Sean’s eyes widened, and the blush on his cheeks deepened. But he stayed put, almost as if his feet were planted in place.

“Aw, c’mon… don’t leave me hangin’,” Finn teased, dropping his underwear to the floor and blowing Sean a kiss before charging into the water.

“Finn, it’s freezing,” Sean said, testing the water with his fingers before jumping back.

“Not for long… Jus’ come on over here and I’ll warm ya right up,” Finn teased. But he noticed Sean hesitate, and swam a bit closer to the edge of the water.

“Sweetheart, if you really don’t want to, that’s fine. I jus’ – “

“No. No, uh… I’m coming in.”

_That’s my boy._

Finn let out a wolf whistle as Sean stripped down to his underwear. When he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his underwear, he hesitated. He looked up at Finn with his lower lip caught between his teeth before looking around nervously.

“Ain’t no one else here but us, sweetie. No worries.”

Sean closed his eyes, before shoving his underwear down and rushing into the water with a splash. Finn may or may not have snuck a peek while he ran, but he said nothing.

“Shit, shit, shit! My balls!”

Finn tried to hold in his laughter. He really tried. But he failed miserably, much to the younger boy’s dismay.

“Hey! Don’t laugh at me!”

“I’m not laughin’ at you. You’re jus’ too fuckin’ cute.”

“I’m not cute!”

“You’re the cutest, sweetie,” Finn cooed, yanking Sean further into the water.

“HEY!” Sean yelled in protest, stumbling and slipping under the water for a second.

“C’mon, it’s easier to get used to it when you push through it quickly.”

Sean sighed - soaked from head to toe now - and let Finn pull him in deeper. His teeth stopped chattering, and his shoulders relaxed slightly.

“See? Much better, ain’t it?”

“Yeah, it’s definitely better. I just needed to get used to it,” Sean mumbled, looking around and taking in their surroundings, oblivious to Finn’s eyes on him.

Finn couldn’t help but take in everything that was Sean Diaz in that single moment. He looked… there weren’t enough words to describe how he looked. Relaxed… carefree. The moonlight shining on his wet skin... His hair was soaked and sticking to his forehead adorably, and Finn reached over to brush it all out of his face. That was a very big mistake. The innocent gesture caught the younger boy’s attention, and he turned to look directly at Finn.

Everything he planned to say flew right out the window when their eyes met. This was somehow more intimate than anything they’d ever done before, and the realization was terrifying. This moment was more than any touch. It was more than any kiss. Finn’s heart forgot how to beat. He forgot how to breathe entirely.

“Finn…”

Sean’s voice was so soft and shaky. He was nervous; as if there was anything for him to be insecure about.

Every scar, scratch, bruise, and mark. Visible, and invisible. Nothing could take away from Sean and everything that he was. Despite all the cruel things that the world did to him, to try and break him down and drown him in darkness; he was still Sean. He still had that light, so bright it could rival that of the sun. The world tried to take everything away from him and nearly succeeded. But Sean somehow still had so much to offer to the world. He was still here, and he was still able to smile and bring that light into other people's lives.

He was smart and so insanely talented. And strong, unbelievably so. If he wanted to, he could take over the world. He took over Finn's world easily enough. Finn had never met someone so selfless; so willing to go to the ends of the Earth for the people they cared about. Not until Sean, who risked every single thing he had to protect his brother day after day. And they were both still standing.

Sean Diaz was a fucking gem.

"Finn, what's wrong?" Sean asked, mistaking Finn's silence for something bad. 

_If only you could see what I see._

“Sweetie… You’re so damn beautiful, you know that?”

Finn watched as his boyfriend’s Adam’s Apple bobbed up and down, and his lower lip got caught between his teeth again. He wanted to tease Sean endlessly about how adorable he was when he was flustered but decided not to. That would only delay what he really wanted to talk about. And he couldn’t risk missing his opportunity.

"I-I... Uh, thank you..." the younger boy stammered.

Finn let out a soft laugh at how cute Sean was, shaking his head before pulling him a bit closer. The closer they were to each other, the more everything around them began to fade. It felt less like they were in a lake in the middle of the woods, and more like they were at a beach, swimming in the sea. 

_One day._

“Why are we out here?” Sean asked after a few seconds.

“I jus' wanted to have one last night out here… together. Wanted it to be special. Somethin’ for you to remember forever,” he said quietly.

“I doubt I’ll have trouble remembering any of this…”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah… This has been the single best experience of my entire life. I’m so fucking glad we ran into you guys,” Sean said. He spoke with such certainty, and it made Finn’s heart swell.

“Me too, sweetheart. Been a wild fuckin’ ride, that’s for sure…”

_And it’s not over yet._

_I don’t want it to be over._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sean never thought he’d ever experience something like this. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined any of this, even if he tried. But every day with Finn proved to be a new experience, and even after all these months, he still managed to surprise Sean.

_Skinny dipping._

_If Lyla could see me now…_

“Sean?”

Finn’s voice was soft, tentative. But it pulled Sean away from his thoughts all the same.

“You okay, sweetie? You’re kinda spacin’ out on me,” the tattooed boy said, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. Despite the slight breeze and the cold night air, the touch sent sparks of warmth through Sean’s body.

Those blue eyes were staring into his, piercing through him, tearing through all the barriers Sean had so carefully built up. It all came crashing down, in one fell swoop.

“I’m just, really gonna miss you, Finn.”

Finn cocked his head to the side, a soft smile on his face, but he didn’t say it back.

_Why didn’t he say it back? Is he not gonna -_

“You… all packed up and ready for the long haul?” Finn asked, changing the subject. It filled Sean with unease, but he forced himself to swallow it down.

He nodded in response to Finn’s question, despite knowing without a doubt that he was not ready. Not at all.

“So…” Finn whispered, taking his hand away slowly before swimming back slightly.

“So…” Sean echoed.

“What’s your plan?”

_That’s a great fucking question._

“I have… no fucking idea.”

Before Finn could react, reality set in.

“Fuck, Finn. I have no clue what we’re gonna do.”

“Sweetie – “

“I mean, me and Daniel are homeless again. And Puerto Lobos is so fucking far…”

_If that’s even where we’re going._

“It is, but you have a strong, uh… will. Yeah. You’ll make it there, Sean. I know you will,” Finn said, scratching the back of his neck.

“How can you be so sure?” Sean asked.

“Because I know you. You’ll do whatever it takes to keep Daniel safe, and to get to where you need to be.”

Finn sounded so certain, so confident. It was as if he didn’t doubt for a second that they would be okay. Sean wished he could have even a fraction of that certainty.

“Thanks, Finn…”

“No problem. You, uh… got enough cash for the trip?”

_Another great question._

“I doubt it, man… At least we still got the money from the last payday.”

“Yeah… You know, what happened today wasn’t your fault. Merrill’s just a dick,” Finn said.

“I know.”

Finn smiled, before clearing his throat.

“Hey, uh… Sean? I actually wanted to talk to you, ‘bout somethin’.”

The older boy had never looked this unsure of himself in all the months Sean had known him. For a second, the sight shocked him into silence. But then he noticed how tense Finn’s shoulders were, and how he was biting his lip. Not seductively, like he usually did. Anxiously. And Finn was never anxious. Without a second thought, he mimicked Finn’s action from earlier and placed his hand on his shoulder.

“What is it?” Sean asked.

“I don’t know the best way to say all this, so I’m just gonna fuckin’ say it. I thought it might be cool if I… uh… fuck,” Finn cursed, lifting his hands to cover his face.

The entire situation was so unusual, and Sean had no idea what to do or say. He’d never seen Finn like this, ever. But then Finn was looking at him, straight at him. Like he’d flipped a switch, and turned his fear off… Sean wished he could do that.

“Sean, I wanna come with you guys.”

_What? Did he just… What?!_

“Now jus’ hear me out, ‘fore you say anythin’… I thought a lot about this. S’not just some last-minute decision.”

_He’s been thinking about this? When? For how long?_

“I already talked to the others 'bout it, and they’re all cool with it. No hard feelings or nothin’… And I don’t want you to think I’m not prepared for what’s comin’. I am. I know it ain’t gonna be easy, but I’m not lookin’ for easy.”

_Finn…_

“I wanna be by your side, for all of it. Even though it’s gonna be hard. I jus’ wanna be there, and make sure that you never feel alone.”

_How are you real?_

“And I got some money saved up from this job, and the ones before. If we put my money with yours, that might make it easier to get to Puerto Lobos. And I can do the grocery runs for food and shit, so you guys don’t get spotted, y’know? Could make it safer for y'all...”

_How have you put so much thought into this?_

“And… I’m prepared to put Daniel first, always. You don’t have to worry ‘bout that, ever. I’d never let anythin’ happen to him. I know that he’s your priority, and I don’t wanna get in the way of that.”

Sean took a look at Finn, his gaze falling to his black eye. That bruise only further confirmed what Finn was saying, and what Sean already knew was true. He knew without a doubt that Finn would do his best to keep Daniel safe. He cared about Daniel, and the two of them had some sort of freaky bond. And Finn being there… an extra set of eyes to watch out for Daniel; Sean felt a bit more at ease at the mere thought of it.

“And if you don’t want me to come with you, that’s cool. I’ll understand. But I need you to know that I want this, Sean. I want a life with you, and if going with you tomorrow means getting that, I’m ready to do it.”

_A life with me?_

“Let me come with you, Sean.”

Speechless. Sean was speechless.

_He wants to come with me…_

Time was frozen around them. The wind seemed to stop blowing, just for a moment, as if the entire universe had come to a halt. Like it was giving him a chance… A choice.

Finn wanted to come with him. Be with him. Have a life with him… Was that even a possibility?

Sean gave the boy in front of him a look, studying him… Trying to figure out when they had gotten to this point. How had things gotten so far? How had he not seen it before? When had all of this happened?

And was this even realistic? Allowing Finn to leave everything he cared about behind, on the slim chance that in the end, they’d make it to the other side; it just seemed selfish. But Finn wanted this… for some reason. 

It all came down to one question. One burning question in his mind.

“Why?”

“What do you mean, ‘why’?” Finn asked, dumbfounded.

“I mean… Why do you wanna come with me? You have a whole life here. A family, a job… A home. I don’t understand why you’d wanna give it all up. The second we leave this place, it’s back to looking over our shoulders every five seconds. Finn, why would you want that?”

Finn pulled him closer, pressing their foreheads together before releasing a shaky breath. Then he lifted his head to look Sean in the eyes.

“Because Sean, none of that matters to me… What I have means nothin’ if you’re not part of it. I don’t care if it means spending the rest of my life running. I don’t mind running if I’m running with you. I wanna help you, Sean. I can help you. We can work together, make it to fuckin’ Mexico, and get the life that you boys deserve.”

“But… I don’t understand… All of this, it’s so fucking dangerous. Why would you risk everything?” Sean whispered.

“You seriously haven’t figured it out, sweetie?” Finn asked, running a hand through Sean’s hair.

Sean could only shake his head. He had no idea what Finn was talking about. But he would know soon enough because Finn was closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

“Fuck…” he whispered, before opening his eyes.

Their eyes met again, but this time Finn’s blue eyes were brimming with tears.

_You’re crying… Why are you crying?_

“Sean, you walked into my life and changed everything for me. I was fuckin’ stupid to think I’d ever be able to let you go. I can’t, sweetie. No way in hell. If you leave tomorrow, I might never see you again, and that’s somethin’ I can’t risk. I love you, _so much_ …”

_Holy shit._

There was a tear running down Finn’s cheek, and Sean wanted to reach a hand out to wipe it away. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t move… couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think of anything beyond those words.

_I love you._

Finn loved him.

_Holy shit._

“Sweetie? I need you to say somethin’… please.”

Two roads.

Sean could see them in front of him. Both were misted, ends unknown. He didn’t know where either one would take him, and that was beyond terrifying. But in one, there was only him and Daniel. And in the other…

Finn was there too.

And knowing that no matter what happened, he’d be walking that road with Finn, instantly made it all less scary.

“Finn, I…”

“If you don’t want any of this, you just have to say the word,” Finn whispered, swimming back slightly.

Two roads. One with Finn. One without...

Sean knew which one to pick. Without a doubt in his mind, he knew. It was an overwhelming certainty. 

“I love you too.”

One second.

Two seconds.

“You just _have_ to know Daniel is the most – “

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes, but – “

Finn’s lips were on his in an instant, kissing him like it was their last night together. Finn’s arms made their way around Sean’s neck, and Sean’s hands found their way to Finn’s hips. They held onto each other like they were afraid any space between them would force them apart. Sean couldn’t let that happen; not now that he had Finn here with him.

They pulled away for a second, just to take a breath. Finn looked beautiful like this.

“You’re beautiful,” Sean whispered, vocalizing his thoughts.

“And you’re magical,” Finn responded just as quietly, eyes wet with tears despite the smile on his face, before pulling them together again.

Sean didn’t try to fight it, not for a second. He let himself melt into the kiss, into Finn’s arms… into Finn. Finn seemed to melt too, relaxing into Sean’s hold. They were here and they were together. He could feel Finn everywhere, hands roaming mindlessly like the older boy was memorizing every line and curve by touch alone.

If there were no need for air, they would have stayed like that forever. But Sean pulled away, breathing heavily. Finn was just as breathless. It was as close to a perfect moment as anything could be in this world. Sean trailed his hands up to cup Finn’s face, finally brushing his thumbs across the older boy’s cheeks to wipe away the tears that had fallen.

“Sweetie, you don’t know how happy you just made me.”

“Really?” Sean asked. He still couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe this was real.

“Fuck, yeah. You have no idea how much I want this… How much I want you. There’s so many things we can do together, Sean.”

“I’d like that…”

“When we get to Mexico, we can do all of that, sweetie. We'll have all the time in the world. We can build a whole new fuckin’ life. You, me, and Daniel.”

“And… what about Costa Rica?”

“I don’t need Costa Rica.”

“But what about the beach house? And the coconut cocktails?”

“There are beaches in Puerto Lobos, aren’t there?”

“But your dream…”

“My dream ain’t Costa Rica anymore, sweetheart,” Finn said, lips curling upward into a smile.

_Fuck, you’re so perfect._

Sean lunged forward in the water, barely aware of the cold anymore. He kissed Finn deeply, before tearing himself away again despite every part of him that begged him not to let go. There were still so many questions to ask; so many things to figure out.

“Your job; you still work for Merrill – “

“Fuck Merrill.”

“And what about everything else? You don’t even speak Spanish, and – “

“I can learn,” Finn said, without hesitation. As if it were all just that simple. Sean still couldn’t believe it. This was actually happening.

“You’d do that?”

“’ Course, sweetie.”

Sean wanted to do something. Anything. Just one thing to show Finn he was prepared to work for this too. Finn was offering him everything, willing to give him everything.

“I – I can teach you. I’m, uh, gonna teach Daniel… So, if you want, I can teach you too,” Sean offered.

“Seriously? So, we finally gonna get that sexy student-teacher thing going on?” Finn asked, wiggling his eyebrows and flashing that same smirk that always seemed to make Sean forget his name.

_One-track mind._

“Really, Finn?”

“I’m just playin’, sweetie,” Finn said with a laugh, splashing him slightly.

“You’re such an idiot.”

“Yeah, and you love me.”

“I do.”

Finn’s smile was precious. Sean wanted to draw this moment, keep it forever. Although, every moment with Finn was one that he wanted to record.

“How do I say that?” Finn asked.

“Say what?”

“ _I love you.”_

_Fuck…_

“Finn….”

“It’s the most important one, sweetie,” Finn cooed. And how could Sean ever say no to that, when Finn was looking at him the way he always looked at him.

“ _Te amo_ ,” Sean whispered.

“ _Te amo_ …” Finn echoed. Sean could feel himself smiling. It sounded unreasonably good coming out of Finn’s mouth... A little awkward, because of Finn’s accent, but Sean didn’t mind. In fact, that just made it all better.

“T-that’s really good. Uh, yeah. You got it.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah… I like, uh, hearing you say it…”

“Hmmm,” Finn hummed, swimming even closer before taking Sean’s face in both hands.

“Then I’ll say it again. _Te amo_ … I love you, Sean _. I love you_ , more than you’ll ever know.”

“Finn… I…”

Sean didn’t finish his sentence; he couldn’t. Because they were kissing again, and it was everything he wanted to say and more. He wasn’t even sure who leaned in first. Maybe they both did, meeting in the middle. But they didn’t need to know. It didn’t matter.

“I can’t believe you’re real,” Sean whispered against Finn’s lips. He could feel Finn smile into the kiss, holding him tighter.

“I’m real. I’m real, and _I’m right here_. Not goin’ anywhere, baby.”

“Good.”

When they pulled apart, Finn let his arms rest around Sean’s shoulders. His hands stayed clasped behind Sean’s neck. But Sean started drifting, doubting. There were still so many things to figure out, so many decisions to make. A plan, they still needed a plan.

“What’s goin’ on in that head of yours, honey?”

“Finn, I don’t know where we’re going…”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… I-I haven’t decided… I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, that’s okay. You don’t need to have it all figured out right now, Sean.”

“But we’re leaving tomorrow. You’re coming along and you don’t even have any idea where we’ll end up…”

“Sean…” Finn whispered, lifting Sean’s head to look him in the eyes. The younger boy said nothing, only looking at Finn with tears burning in his eyes.

“It don’t matter to me. I don’t care if we go to Puerto Lobos, or Arizona, or some random hick town in the middle of fuckin’ nowhere.”

“But – “

“No buts. It don’t matter. I don’t care. I’ll follow you anywhere, Sean. Alright? Wherever you wanna go, that’s where I’ll go.”

“And what if something goes wrong? What if I make the wrong choice?”

“You won’t.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because, _I trust you_ , sweetie. And you should trust yourself too.”

_I’m trying._

Sean nodded wordlessly, before dropping his head onto Finn’s shoulder and pulling him close. Finn didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms further around the younger boy. Those arms never left Sean. Not when they stepped out of the water. Not even when they got dressed. And not at all when they made their way back through the woods.

The walk back to camp was repeatedly interrupted by one of them pulling the other closer and pressing their lips together. They hardly came up for air, kissing as they walked. They bumped into trees, and they laughed, and they stumbled, but they never stopped. Never stopped touching. Barely stopped kissing.

It was clumsy and it was so fucking perfect.

Not even when they arrived back at the camp. They weren’t even aware of their surroundings until they heard cheering and laughing and Daniel yell, “GROSS!”

It was only then that Finn pulled away, throwing his head back in laughter. Sean could only watch him in awe before Finn was pressing another chaste kiss to his lips. It was so unspeakably sweet.

“Get a room!” Hannah yelled teasingly, and Finn lifted a hand to flip her off before pulling Sean in for a hug.

“C’mon, sweetie. One last night with the group?” he whispered against Sean’s ear.

Sean nodded, letting Finn lead him to where everyone was sat around the campfire.

_One last night._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

When it was time for bed, there was no question about where Finn would be going. He let Sean take Daniel to bed, and ran off to grab his bag from his own tent. He allowed himself one last look at the tent, but it wasn’t where he was meant to be. Without hesitation, he took his bag and went straight to Sean and Daniel’s tent.

When he got into the tent, he was immediately knocked over by a tiny ball of energy.

“FINN! You’re coming with us?” Daniel asked as he pounced on the older boy, ignoring his older brother’s protests.

“Yeah, little man. Looks like it.”

“Awesome! This is so cool! That means that Sean won’t be so moody when we travel anymore!”

“HEY! I am not – “

“He always gets so moody when he’s tired.”

“I do not – “

“But with you there, I think he’ll be fine. He might drool on you at night sometimes – “

“Daniel! I swear – “

“He kinda drools a lot – “

“I don’t – “

“But you probably won’t mind, because you love him. Right?”

Finn couldn’t contain his laughter, looking over Daniel’s shoulder to see Sean flushed red, groaning and trying to hide his face in his hands.

_My little Sean…_

“Yeah, I do,” Finn whispered, noticing Sean lift his head out of his hands and look over at him.

Daniel smiled brightly, before climbing off of Finn and getting ready for bed. When Finn looked at Sean again, he was still blushing, but at least he was smiling. They both were. Finn knew that no matter what happened after tonight, he’d be okay as long as Sean kept smiling at him like that.

They held each other’s gaze for a while, as Daniel continued rambling in the background. Sean’s eyes flicked over to his little brother, before going back to Finn. He had an apologetic look on his face, but there was nothing to apologize for. This was… exactly what Finn wanted. So, the older boy sent him a reassuring smile, trying to tell him that this was okay. Better than okay, actually.

This was going to be their life. And Finn was ready for it.

It was as if the three of them fell into a natural rhythm after that. They all got ready for bed in silence – not tense, awkward silence, but a comfortable one. It didn’t feel like Finn was a visitor in the tent. It felt like he was supposed to be there all along. He wasn’t just an extra person in their space; he was part of the team... part of the family.

Daniel didn’t grimace when Finn got behind Sean, wrapping his arms around him. He simply stared at the two boys, a look of wonder on his face.

He and Sean shared a look before the older brother nodded. They both sat up, and Finn followed suit, looking between the two of them.

Suddenly, Daniel put his hands around his mouth, threw his head back, and _howled_.

“OOWOOOO!”

Sean started laughing, and for a second Finn was confused. Like, really fucking confused. But then Sean lifted his hands to his mouth and howled too.

“OWO-OWO-OOWWOOOO!”

The two brothers started laughing, Daniel falling back onto the ground with a smile on his face. Finn raised an eyebrow at the two of them before Sean turned to look at him. The smile on his face said all that Finn needed to know. He cupped his mouth with both hands like the brothers had done, before looking at them both for confirmation. Permission. They nodded in unison.

“OWWOOOOOOOO!”

“ALRIGHT! SHUT UP!” Hannah’s voice cut through the air.

The three boys looked at each other for a second, before matching smiles broke out on each of their faces. Daniel was practically bouncing with excitement. Sean laughed to himself before nodding at Finn and Daniel.

One. _One night._

Two. _Two brothers._

Three. _Three of them against the world._

“OWWOOOOOO! OWO-OWO-OWO-OWWOOOOO!”

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Sean woke up the next morning to Finn’s arms around him, and for a second, he forgot what was going on. For just one second, this was just a regular morning. But then he saw the bags, three of them.

It all hit him like a tidal wave.

They were leaving today. They were out of time. This was the end.

But not for him and Finn. No, Finn was coming with them. It was all so surreal.

He shifted slightly, trying to remove himself from Finn’s arms. The older boy groaned slightly as he woke up, disturbed by Sean’s movements.

“Sweetheart? You okay?” he asked, voice muffled against Sean’s back.

“Yeah, I’m okay.”

Finn hummed in response, before turning onto his back and yawning.

_Sleepy Finn… A rare, adorable sight._

Sean leaned over and pressed a kiss to Finn’s cheek.

“Finn…” he whispered, but Finn didn’t stir. He looked like he was ready to fall asleep again, doing his best to ignore Sean and doze off.

_Hmmm…_

“Mi amor…”

It felt different, calling Finn anything other than ‘dude’. But good different. It rolled off the tongue like it had been sitting there the entire time… waiting to be used. And Finn probably didn’t know what it actually meant, but he _understood_ , somehow.

Sean _knew_ that he understood.

Because Finn didn’t open his eyes or sit up, but his features softened into a dopey smile and his cheeks tinted pink.

Sean resisted the urge to press another kiss to his now rosy cheeks and instead looked over to his little brother, shaking him awake gently.

“Time to get up, enano”

Daniel groaned in response, a perfect echo of Finn’s own waking-up noises.

_Two peas in a pod._

By the time either of them decided to move, Sean was fully dressed and ready to go.

“Damn, sweetie. You move fast…”

“No, you just move slow,” Sean teased.

“Ouch, baby. That hurt,” Finn said, pushing his bottom lip out dramatically.

“Ha-ha. Come on, we need to get moving.”

Finn gave him a quick salute before getting dressed, while Sean started making sure everything else was packed and ready to go. Daniel grumbled but got up and got dressed too. It all felt so… _normal_ ; like this was just a normal family getting ready for a normal day. But this wasn’t a normal day at all. No, today they were hitting the road again.

And for the first time, the thought didn’t terrify him.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

“So, this is it…” Sean said.

This was officially goodbye.

“Man, I’m really gonna miss you,” Jacob said, pulling Sean in for a tight hug. He whispered something in Sean’s ear, and they shared a laugh over it. Finn looked away, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment. They deserved to have their goodbye. And Finn needed to say his goodbyes too.

He left them alone, walking over to the rest of the group who were standing and ready to say goodbye. Even Ingrid and Anders.

“So, Hans, is this where you finally show me all that love and affection you got bottled up inside?”

“Shut up, dude. I’ll hit you.”

“You wouldn’t. You love me.”

“Oh yeah?” she challenged with a glare.

“Yeah.”

They stared at each other for about ten seconds, before her glare morphed into a smile and she pulled him in for a hug.

“Take care of yourself out there, and… I’m really gonna miss you,” she whispered, quietly enough that no one else could hear her.

“Me too, Hans… me too.”

“Bitch, move over!” Penny said, lightly shoving Hannah out of the way and ignoring her glare before wrapping his arms around Finn.

“Now you take care of yourself out there, man. And don’t believe everythin’ the news be tellin’ you; that’s just what they _want_ you to believe.”

“’ Course, Penny. Duly noted.”

Penny patted him on the back before stepping back to talk to Hannah and making way for Cassidy.

She was smiling at him with tears in her eyes, and he gave her a reassuring smile in return.

“I’m really happy for you, Finn… I know he makes you happy,” she said, nudging her head over to where Sean was.

When Finn turned to look, he saw Sean picking Daniel up and hoisting him onto his shoulders, before saying something to Jacob. The three of them started laughing, and Finn’s heart skipped a beat.

 _That_ was his future.

_How the fuck did that happen?_

“And…” she started, but she trailed off, looking over at Sean.

“What?”

“I’m… I’m proud of you. Sean was right, the other night. There’s nothin’ wrong with wantin’ more outta life.”

“Thank you, Cass,” Finn said, pulling her in for a hug. She was stiff for a second, before relaxing into it. When they pulled apart, Cassidy stepped back. She tried her best to hide the fact that she was upset, but Finn noticed her wiping her eyes.

“Thank you, Finn, for giving us this job. We are very grateful,” Ingrid said, walking up to him with Anders.

“Yes. Thank you very much. We will all miss you,” Anders said, patting Finn on the shoulder.

“No problem, seriously. It was my pleasure,” Finn said.

Sean turned to look at him at that moment and smiled at him, before walking over with Daniel on his shoulders.

“Hey, sweetie… You ready to bail?”

“Uh, I think so,” Sean said, before turning to Cassidy.

“So, city boy… Think you enjoyed bein’ one of us?” she asked him. He let out a quiet laugh, before his eyes scanned the group, finally landing on Finn.

“Yeah… I did.”

Finn wasn’t sure what Cassidy said to Sean and Daniel after that, mostly because he got distracted by those eyes again. At least until Sean took him by the hand.

“We should probably get going,” he said.

“Wait!” Jacob called out, walking up to Finn and pulling him in for a hug.

“Look out for him, alright?” he whispered. Finn nodded, returning the hug despite it being entirely unexpected.

When Jacob pulled away, they said their final goodbyes before taking off into the woods. Into the unknown.

Sean and Daniel were extra quiet, but Finn didn’t try to disrupt the silence. Saying goodbye was always hard, especially when you had to do it as often as them. But he hoped that there would be fewer goodbyes in their future, starting now.

“I’m gonna miss this place…” Sean finally said, looking back down the path they had walked along.

“No shit… I love it too,” Finn added.

“I’m really gonna miss everyone! Especially Penny; he’s so cool…” Daniel said.

“Yeaaaah, Penny’s a riot…”

The trio fell into silence again after that.

“You good?” Finn asked, noticing that Sean was extra tense now. He was barely raising his gaze from where it lingered on the ground.

Sean only nodded distractedly, but it was entirely unconvincing.

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Just thinking.”

There was another moment of silence, and then Daniel asked, “So, where are we going?”

Sean faltered slightly, stopping in his tracks for a second before looking over at Finn, then up at his brother.

_C’mon, my little Sean. I trust you._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

_Time to make a decision, dude. Just… go with your gut._

“We’re going to Puerto Lobos.”

The words fell out of his mouth before he could let himself think twice.

The plan was always to go to Puerto Lobos. From the very beginning, that was the goal. The end goal. The final destination. It was a promise of a future far away from the shitshow that was America, and closer to their father. That was where Sean wanted to be.

But there was still something else that he wanted… Something more.

Finn nodded encouragingly. The look the tattooed boy gave him said everything he needed to hear.

_I trust you._

He took Finn’s hand, holding it tight.

Finn being here with them was the push that Sean needed. It was time to finally take that leap and do the thing that scared him the most. Something he knew would be hard, but that he knew Daniel needed. And he was ready to accept the fact that maybe he needed it too.

With Daniel _and_ Finn by his side, Sean knew it would all be okay. They were a team. _A family._

“We just… have a stop to make, along the way.”

“We do? Where?” Daniel asked, looking down at Sean with curious eyes.

“How do you feel about stopping in Arizona?” Sean asked, eyes focused on Daniel though not entirely unaware of Finn’s eyes on him, and his smile of approval.

“Arizona?” Daniel asked, eyes widening.

“I do believe that’s what the man said, yeah,” Finn said.

“Do you mean… Arizona, as in like… to…?”

“Yeah, enano. That’s exactly what I mean.”

There was a pause. A second. The longest second of Sean’s life. Suddenly, he was full of doubt. Maybe this wasn’t what Daniel wanted anymore. Maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe –

“No way! This is gonna be so exciting! I mean, we’re finally going to see Mom again! Isn’t that super cool?” Daniel asked, launching himself off of Sean’s shoulders and running around in a hyper frenzy.

_Nevermind._

“I mean, yeah. That’s one way to put it,” Sean muttered.

_Nerve-wracking, terrifying, those are other ways to put it._

“You sure you wanna do this, sweetie? I mean, you already know I support you. Jus’ wanna make sure you’re ready for this…”

“I… “Sean started, but he couldn’t finish his thought, because Daniel cut off whatever answer he was preparing to muster up.

“I wonder what Mom’s gonna say when she sees us! I can’t wait! Can you believe it, Finn?!” Daniel practically squealed, jumping on Finn’s back and nearly knocking the older boy over in the process.

“I sure can, Danny,” Finn said, taking his bag off of his back and lifting Daniel into a piggy-back position. The sight was… way more adorable than it needed to be.

“Sean! This is gonna be so cool! I’m actually going to meet her! I wonder what she’s like… I can’t wait to tell her all about our adventures, and Chris, and – “

“Woah! Slow down, enano. We’ve still got a long way to go before we get there. I don’t want you getting too excited too soon.”

Sean was pleased by his brother’s excitement, but he couldn’t help his own hesitance. He could only hope that he wouldn’t regret this particular choice. But it was like Jacob said. Daniel was the most important thing, and doing this… Finding Karen…

It seemed like the right choice when Sean looked at the smile on his brother’s face.

“Yeaaah, big bro’s right little man,” Finn said, taking Sean’s hand once again and flashing him a smile.

_A team._

“It’s not too late to back out… You ready for all this?” Sean asked.

“Hell yeah, baby. This is only the beginning. I ain’t backing out. The three of us… We’re in this together now. And jus' think... After all this shit, the three of us will be livin' it up on in Puerto Lobos. Don't that sound like a fuckin' dream?”

_This is only the beginning._

“Maybe the question should be: Are _you_ ready?” Finn added when Sean didn't respond.

_Am I ready to be back on the road? Am I ready to find my mom? Am I ready to get the fuck out of this country?_

Sean looked over at Daniel, who was on Finn’s shoulders still, resting his arms on Finn’s head. Then he let his eyes fall down to Finn, who was still smiling at him, waiting patiently for an answer.

Finn was here.

Daniel was here.

They were all together, and it was staying that way. 

“I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We have officially reached the end!! But as Finn said, this is really only the beginning ;)  
> I can't believe we've reached this point, wow. I'm still processing the fact that I made it this far... Also, literally exactly 2 months after I posted the first chapter. That wasn't planned.
> 
> Honestly, this final chapter was both the easiest and the hardest to write. I had almost that entire scene from the start of the chapter up until the end of the lake scene written before I even wrote most of the previous chapters. I felt like Sean and Finn deserved their own special lake scene. Also, I was tempted to add in a sex scene or something, but ultimately decided not to. One of the things I loved about their in-game relationship was that it wasn't based around sex, and it wasn't rushed. So, adding a sex scene didn't seem necessary, not yet anyways... and also it just didn't fit with the vibe of this chapter. I hope you all don't mind, haha :)
> 
> But I did struggle with writing an ending for this chapter that really felt... right. I wanted it to feel like both an end to something, and the start of something else. I definitely didn't want it to feel as though their story was over now that they'd agreed to travel together, because that's not the case at all. There is still so much for them to do; so much for them to figure out and deal with.
> 
> When I started writing the first chapter, this fanfiction was meant as nothing more than a self-indulgent heap of fluff that I wanted to see between Sean and Finn. For that reason, maybe this story wasn't super plot-heavy. 
> 
> But somewhere along the way, it turned into something more for me. I wanted to explore Sean's feelings toward Karen and her leaving, and explore that entire storyline. Plus, I really wanted to explore a deeper backstory for Finn and give him even more depth than he already had in the game. And I really wanted the core driving point of this part of the story to be building that foundation of trust between Finn and the Diaz brothers. I hope that I at least somewhat managed to achieve those things.
> 
> I'm going to work on my Sean/Finn High School au for a while, since I really want to give it the attention that it deserves. And then I'm going to tackle part two of this project, which I hope will be even bigger and better than the first part. I plan to write the next work in this series as a more plot-driven story. 
> 
> But what is important to note is that I don't want part two of this series to feel like a sequel. I want it to feel like a continuation. Not separate works; just different parts of the same adventure. I'm only splitting this story into parts and making it a series because I feel like there is a clear distinction between the various 'chapters' in their journey. So, be sure to subscribe to this series so that you'll be notified when I begin posting the next part :) 
> 
> This was an amazing experience, and I am so happy that I did this.  
> Let me know what you thought of this story, and if you're excited for the next part (omg I still can't believe I'm writing a second part). Don't hesitate to comment, I love hearing from you guys <3  
> Also, kinda crying now that I'm posting it. My first fanfiction, done and dusted. Holy shit. Wild.  
> Thank you a million times for sitting down and reading this fic, wherever and whenever you are. If you gave it kudos, commented, bookmarked, subscribed, or simply just read it and smiled, THANK YOU.  
> Thank you for making the start of my fanfiction writing journey such a fun, amazing one!  
> I love you <3


End file.
